Andalites

[rossabo]

Okay, we know that andalites have "waste dispossal systems" however I think that they simply do not work like human toliets. Actually I think it would be possible for andalites to only urinate since Ax dosen't seem to worry about the possibility of his droppings being found. Personaly I think they breed the same as other equine (horse like) species

I don't think they only urinate. There was a line in Andalite Chronicles where it says:
"The tactical officer — the T.O. — looked at us like we might be a couple of pieces of dung stuck to his hoof."

As far as their breeding goes, I would guess that their anatomy is structured more like deer are, since their lower half of their bodies resemble deer more than horses. Plus, buck deer have very subtle reproduction parts, as opposed to stallions who can be notoriously obvious.

An interesting thought would be if Andalites had pheromones or not.

[Adrian Malacoda]

Doesn't necessarily have to be Andalite poop. There are other creatures on the Andalite home world, and generally the word "dung" refers to animal (as in non-sentient animal) scat.

[Alic]

Being a mother I could never imagine not holding my child. I'm sure since their arms are so weak, and thinking how much an andalite infant would compare in size that only embracing is possible. One thing that gets me is a fawn or foal can stand up not too long after birth, but the bone structure of a human infant takes sometimes months to be able to hold up their own head. I wonder how long it takes an andalite to carry their young..
A human is 9 months. An elephant is 2 years. That's earth, who knows about aliens? Maybe they mature much faster.
I believe they would be able to absorb nutrients through grass an such quickly after birth.

[Terenia]

Andalites seem to have a longer life span than humans - although that's relative, since they go by a different calendar, obviously. Still, I think that Andalites likely develop faster than human infants. As you mentioned, Alic, their arms are probably too weak to hold their infants, and as they require movement to eat they probably learn to walk almost immediately after birth. Which isn't so uncommon, really. Their first few months of life they are obviously going to be unsteady and wobbly, and therefore restricted to the scoop. I'm thinking that their tail blades also grow in after birth (like humans with teeth), as that would wreak havoc on a mother's womb.

Intellectually they seem to mature fairly quickly as well. The height of human society is simple to Ax, and he often comments that a mere child could do what adult humans can do. Obviously some of this is due to the fact that Andalites have had more time to develop scientifically, but some of it also could be attributed to the speed at which they learn. If young children can do advanced math (by human terms), then that says a lot for their brain capacity.

[Shock]

Andalites seem to have a longer life span than humans - although that's relative, since they go by a different calendar, obviously. Still, I think that Andalites likely develop faster than human infants. As you mentioned, Alic, their arms are probably too weak to hold their infants, and as they require movement to eat they probably learn to walk almost immediately after birth. Which isn't so uncommon, really. Their first few months of life they are obviously going to be unsteady and wobbly, and therefore restricted to the scoop. I'm thinking that their tail blades also grow in after birth (like humans with teeth), as that would wreak havoc on a mother's womb.

Intellectually they seem to mature fairly quickly as well. The height of human society is simple to Ax, and he often comments that a mere child could do what adult humans can do. Obviously some of this is due to the fact that Andalites have had more time to develop scientifically, but some of it also could be attributed to the speed at which they learn. If young children can do advanced math (by human terms), then that says a lot for their brain capacity.

or it could simply be that the Andalites have had more experience with technology than we have. they have had the luxery of being a long established race. Humanity is just starting up but we are catching up fast and as Ax stated in one of the books, eventually we could rival the andalites in terms of Tech or even surpass them.

on the infant thing, the andalites have ready knowledge about how to make stuff from being an established race while Humanity is still fumbling around in the dark. a modern day 5 grader knows more about math than a 15th century serf.

[Terenia]

True, but if we became capable of Z-space travel, do you think that humans would be doing calculus in 5th grade? I don't think so. I don't think a 5th grade human has the capacity to do calculus, unless they're some sort of prodigy. No matter how advanced our technology becomes.

[rocklobster]

Actually, if Andalites are anything like earth horses, they probably have the nipples located on their undersides.

[Terenia]

How would the baby Andalite get their hoof to the nipple, though? Seems awkward.

[Alic]

I was gonna write the same thing earlier terenia, aha. I can picture them trying to reach.

[rocklobster]

I'm still going with nursing milk.  I still think their mammals. 

[anijen21]

I don't think they'd nurse. It seems impractical. If anything, as gross as this sounds, I think they might pre-chew grass for their young or something. Or just put it in a food processor and make baby food.

[Terenia]

I'm still going with nursing milk.  I still think their mammals. 

Keep in mind they are from a completely different planet. "Mammals" might not even exist in the form we know. The rules that make an animal a mammal might not be the same rules that make an alien mammal-like. Hell, for all we know Andalites lay eggs.

[AniDragon]

Well, a lot of quadrupeds have to lay on their sides for their young to access the milk. Andalites could very well act the same way. That way it would be easy for the young to get their hooves at the right spot.

[MoonStarRaven]

Its been awhile since I read through the series so my memory could be off. but wasn't there a book where the Animorphs and Yeerks snuck onto a military base as horses to see what they were hiding and at the end Ax said it was just an Andalite toilet or something to that affect? Or am I remembering that wrong?

As for the newborn Andalites I also think they are mammals, just not nursing mammals. (look at the platypus, there's exceptions to every rule ) I believe the majority of hoofed animals are capable of standing shortly after birth and since Andalites absorb nutrients by crushing the grass with their hoof.  theoretically a baby Andalite should be able to feed itself shortly after learning to stand.

[Shock]

the problem is that you people are thinking of it in the terms of Earth Classification of Animals. the Andalite world could be filled with animals that defy putting them in the terms of "mammals" "birds" or "reptiles"

we don't know