Planet Andalite must be one dangerous place...

[CDJV]

Think about all those Andalite body parts.

-Tail blades for quick self defense against predators
-Could also be used in obtaining mates, akin to Bighorn Sheep
-Eyes on stalks to see behind you
-large ears for a greater range of hearing
-Telepathy for communication over large distances
-Four swift legs in order to run extremely fast.
-Mouths on the feet in order to avoid being caught off guard whilst eating, and eating on the go
-Six fingers for increased dexterity
-And the large nose slits probably give better sense of smell

When you look at these, you tihnk of either a deadly predator, or a creature that needs to survive really well. We know that Andalites are herbivores, so that leaves the latter.

With andalites needing to pe able to detect any kind of danger, and then fight it off or flee from it almsot instantly, how dangerous is the Andalite Homeworld? What would force primitive andalites to evolve those traits?

[ChimichangaChupacabra]

Most of the alien species we meet throughout the series indicate that earth's significantly more dangerous than what they're used to.

So, probably not.  It's just that Andalites without tails would = deer.  Hardly going to survive long enough when there are predators around to achieve sentience.

[Chad32]

It's stated somehwere that Andalites didn't always have blades, and were preyed on by carnivores. Then they evovled those blades, and the predators eventually died out. I think it was HBC.

[Estelore]

CDJV presents a very viable argument worth consideration.
Against what, then, are those blades used to defend?
Also, I suspect the nose-slits are more for efficient respiration than for smelling. Big nose = better sense of smell. It's all about surface area and nerve density.

[Chad32]

I don't know, but it seems the blade made a big difference. Maybe a predator that had hard skin or thick fur, so the blunt end of the tail couldn't really hurt it. But add a blade, and it slices through.

[ChimichangaChupacabra]

Oh, I'm not saying predators don't exist on the Andalite homeworld.  It's stated they do.  And at some stage they may have been as formidable as the stuff we have on earth.

But with all the references to earth's complexity and amazing creatures, with the "sharks are perfectly engineered killing machines" talk, etc, it probably seems the Andalites, at least the current generations, aren't used to that type of thing.

The Visser's big monster morphs are mostly said to come from barren wasteland moons and such, not the homeworlds of the species we meet. 

[JFalcon]

I believe it's said in the Ellimist chronicles that the predators of the Andalite world were nearly wiped out, so like humans I think Andalites probably claim not to have natural predators, but actually do. I can't tell you how many people I've met (mostly because I don't keep track) who thought that if you were lost in Africa nothing would hunt you because "the animals there don't hunt people" I don't know where this wrong and frankly, idiotic idea that humans were above being prey started but even some documentaries make the claim that animals won't attack humans . . . why, because the camera crew filming them in broad daylight from a safe distance is hunky-dory and therefore must assume that anyone else would be too?

So it's possible that your average Andalite has no idea how dangerous Andalite animals are, also it's probable that meeting an alien species has a certain shock factor to it, i.e. if you meet a tiger you know how screwed you are, why you're screwed and you know you might want to run away . . . terribly fast. If Ax meets a Tiger he will stand there and ask it if it's Jake, he may or may not have to use his tail to get away but the fact is to him it's a surprising and unpredictable alien animal.

[agentAK]

Now I have a really funny mental image of a camera crew poking a lion in the face with a zoom lens...


We're thinking quite close-mindedly. We're assuming that the evolution of blades is to fight. Look at the Hork-Bajir. They're a walking blade, and it's quite clear that they don't use them in battle. The blades can easily be used to fight, but the Hork-Bajir didn't evolve with them for that purpose. Why should Andalites?

[ChimichangaChupacabra]

Hork-Bajir didn't evolve at all.  Bad example. 

[agentAK]

Hork-Bajir didn't evolve at all.  Bad example. 

....Shut it.....

My point is still valid.

[JFalcon]

We're thinking quite close-mindedly. We're assuming that the evolution of blades is to fight. Look at the Hork-Bajir. They're a walking blade, and it's quite clear that they don't use them in battle. The blades can easily be used to fight, but the Hork-Bajir didn't evolve with them for that purpose. Why should Andalites?

Actually I also considered that the tail blades might have a purpose in mating, like antlers on a deer, which is supported by the fact that females don't have very pronounced or useful tail blades, after all if they were evolved for self defense the females should also be able to defend themselves.

But if they were evolved for both defense and attracting mates or fighting for them, it'd make sense that one gender, be they male or female, would have a more dangerous looking blade. I also considered they might have harkened to a time when Andalites may have dug at the soil for nutrients when there wasn't enough grass.

But these things didn't seem relevant to the topic of discussion, which is how dangerous the planet might be.

[agentAK]

...You my friend... Get a pat on the back for that one.

That is all.

[CDJV]

It's possible that after the predators got wiped out, perhaps from a virus or something, that the tail blades became accustomed for mating. Perhaps the prehistoric andalites had larger tail blades.

Also, perhaps there was a tectonic shift, and the Andalites were smart enough to go onto the continent without any predators, and ocne they were strong enough they simply killed the predators off. They seem to have no qualms with destroying an enitre species, why not a majority of their planets ecology?

[Phoenix004]

I believe that in The Ellimist Chronicles, Andalites didn't yet have tail blades, and were therefore preyed upon by native predators. Since the Andalites grew tail blades and became the dominant species on the planet, it's easily possible that those predators no longer exist, but even if they do they clearly no longer pose a threat to the Andalite people.

Hork-Bajir Chronicles mentions the fact that many Andalites have trouble sleeping due to their time as prey animals when they would be easily awakened from sleep in order to flee from potential danger.

[RYTX]

So I read through this, and the whole time I hear my old bio teachers lectures in my head.
Evolution's trippy; Andalite physiology doesn't really mean that the planet must be dangerous, it just means that those traits encourage, or just happen to be on creatures that survive.
Had they could have evolved all that stuff anywhere; if they had happened to be from earth and evolved like that, I'm betting they'd be okay in general. If they happened to be from the land of buttercups and pixie dust, still they'd be okay.
Earth is plenty dangerous, but as any Andalite would tell you, the dominate race is physically laughable.
Decked out traits is a lucky convience. If it were about everyone evolving to danger, all the things the Andalites evolved to out match would evolve to keep out, and be more dangerous. And then the Andalites would evolve again. And then the other things. Then the Andalites....didn't turn out like that.