Dear Dr. Diana,
My manticore (Elroy) is shedding feathers, scatting on the rug, scratching it's bum hole with it's spiked tail and incessantly talking shit to my cats. Please help.
Oh dear, I think that there might be several issues that are making your manticore's life a bit difficult right now. Let's take a look at each of the issues. First of all, I was sent a follow up e-mail indicating that Elroy had been purchased at a swap meet. While swap meets are a great way for owners of mythological beasts to meet, explore various genetic crosses and find new products for their creatures, I would like to take a moment to caution you about buying creatures at swap meets - always ALWAYS ask for credentials. While the majority of breeders who have a presence at swap meets are reputable, this is not always the case. There may be some creatures that have been mixed with another species, and this, while sometimes resulting in beautiful mixes, can present health problems not generally found in purebred species. I am not saying you shouldn't buy a mixed breed, they can be some of the loveliest pets and working animals. But I am cautioning you all about being sure that if you're buying from a breeder, be sure they have references and are willing to allow you to contact them. If they dodge the question or you get defunct websites or out-of-service phone numbers, walk away, no matter how pretty the beastie is. I suspect that your Manticore has most likely been crossed with a Griffin, hence the feathers, as Manticores don't normally have plumage.
However, I think Elroy may be suffering from a common Manticorean problem. And one that could perhaps be stemming from his verbal abuse toward the cats. It seems that Elroy is struggling with some territorial issues. Manticores are extraordinarily territorial creatures. They are not particularly fond of sharing their space with other creatures, and this often even includes their keepers. Being a male Manticore, Elroy will be more territorial than a female, and more likely to want to mark his territory. I suspect that Elroy might have been marking his territory with scent markers (spraying), but he encountered one unfortunate design flaw that can often present itself in ailuroform creatures. Poor Elroy is most likely suffering from clogged anal glands. Manticores are venomous (as Elroy's owner I certainly hope knows), and because his venom delivery is located in his tail, the venom sacs and anal glands are situated in close proximity to one another. If Elroy has been posturing and attempting to assert dominance of his territory, he has probably been inflating his venom sacs to make his tail seem larger and longer. This puts pressure on the anal scent glands and can sometimes pinch them off. The manticores scent glands secrete an oily substance, and if a gland gets blocked it can become inflamed, itchy and uncomfortable. Scratching his rearend with his tail probably left residual venom near the raw flesh and it has become infected. If Elroy was already having territorial issues with the cats, being uncomfortable or in pain has probably escalated it to the point where he is verbally abusing the cats and scatting on the rug to assert his dominance.
You need to reassure Elroy and let him know that he is important to you. Be sure that if you are petting and spending time with the cats, that you also give him playtime and pets and strokes. If he is not allowing this kind of contact, you may need to do some additional training with him and get him more accustomed to being touched. He needs to realize that this isn't a threatening behavior, it's a positive one. Also, make sure there is plenty of enrichment for your Manticore. Sprinkling an old toy with star anise or even catnip may revive it for him, or give him cantaloupes to play with. Because Manticores used to prey on humans prior to their domestication, squashing the cantaloupes triggers Elroy's pleasure centers as if he were squashing a human's head. When you cage him at night, move his furniture around to make it interesting, but be sure you don't take anything away. Manticores are very sensitive to loss, and will react badly. If it's hot out, mix blood and water in cottage cheese containers and freeze to make bloodcicles for him to lick. If you use these enrichments to keep your Manticore engaged and happy, hopefully you should see his aggression toward the cats recede.
I would schedule an appointment with your mythdoc as soon as possible. Elroy needs to have his anal glands expressed and probably receive some antibiotics. In smaller mythological ailuroform creatures, I would suggest having your mythdoc show you how to express the anal glands so you don't have to bring him in if it happens again, however, because Manticores have venomous tails, I would suggest always taking him to a mythdoc where they know how to cover the tail and protect everyone from a sting in the event that the Manticore becomes agitated.
I hope this helps, good luck with Elroy!
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