An attempt to grow the population of Oaxacan Citellan within the keep.

[Dunstan]

This study is the most fruitful result of the insanity the pairs of Oaxacan Cintellan in my care pushed upon me.
It started in October 2021 and lasted till October 2022 after a request to get my pairs to breed a son for a new breeding pair. I am afraid I do not have any exact numbers as my notes from that time are…. Filled with coffee stains, scribbles out of insanity, a few missing pages that have been eaten by the creatures that are the subject of this study and for some reason a plan to break into the larder to steal corn.

The subjects:
The study encompasses 5 breeding pairs.
Ruby pair. Male is Servant with his wife Queen.
Golden pair. Male is Corn with his wife Snack.
Hay pair. Male is Bed with his wife Bale.
Coal pair. Male is Fur with his wife Coat.
Straw pair. Male is Faux with his wife Gold.

Initial assumption of time:
The breeding time in the keep between pairs is 3 days and the study encompasses 52 weeks. During this insanity there were periods I kept pushing them each chance I got and period I have left them alone. As I do not have exact notes of the breeding dates. For this I feel that it is fair to assume I have tried to push the pairs to breed 52 times each.

Secondary assumption irrelevant to the study:
The pairs in my care like to see me suffer. There is not enough statistical numbers to know is this is a trait shared by the entire species or just the small group in the study.
Correction, I did not mean if all Oaxacan Cintellan hate me, but if the entire species is hard to breed.
Rewrite this section before handing in the paper.
Don’t forget. Milk
Sugar
Coffee
Corn for popping

Interesting findings:
Ruby pair are either more intelligent and crueler than the rest of the pairs or dumber and sweeter. After taking them on a walk through a cornfield holding corn with the same colour of their eggs I remarked to the pair that I would love to find just as many of their eggs as there is corn on this field.
This led to waking up to a large pile of what I believed to be Oaxacan Cintellan eggs. After putting all of them in secure baskets for hatching I spotted all pairs nomming on some of the ‘eggs’ in the first basket. After a frightful moment believing the species would eat their own eggs, I came to the realization that these where not eggs. Spotting a few empty corncobs in my pile of dirty clothes helped me come to the conclusion the Ruby pair stole the corncobs to make me happy, or to drive me nuts.
On a side note, I advise anybody housing these creatures to be at least moderately clean. I am unsure if this is general in the species or just in my subjects. But apart from returning ravaged lands back into their splendor, they can turn a pile of moldy and dirty dishes into quite lovely display of growth containing plants. It is something my subjects have repeatedly shown.
To my defense, sometimes time goes to fast and with so many energetic critters in my room I sometimes forget about cleaning the dishes.

Results per pair:
Straw pair:
Two little freeloaders. I mean I would take care of the eggs for them, but no. All eat, no help.
Sensitive about possible sterility. When heard me wondering about it, I got pelted with dirty socks.
On the positive note, I have recovered my missing socks.

Coal pair:
I had been hopeful as they already had a lovely daughter before the study started. And that’s where they stopped. So, for the study they are on zero eggs as well.

Hay pair:
Just as the Coal they had a lovely daughter before the study started. Unlike the Coal pair they followed it up with a new child. Another daughter.
So 1 egg out of 52 breeding’s, but the wrong gender to be helpful.

Golden pair:
Before the study started, they were the amazing pair with 2 children. A daughter and a son. During the study they gave me another son. Which fulfilled the task of breeding the subjects.
So 1 egg out of 52 breeding’s, and the correct gender.

Ruby pair:
Before the study started, they had blessed me with 2 daughters. During the study they did end up helping by giving another egg. But the Queen likes having princesses.
So 1 egg out of 52 breeding’s, but the wrong gender.

Conclusion:
The species remains rare and it is going to be important to keep the wild population healthy and happy. If we would have to rely on the domestic population to keep the species from being endangered, we will not succeed.

Out of a total of 260 breeding’s only 3 eggs were born. Giving my subjects a breeding rate of 1.15%. With a gender ratio of 1:2 Male : Female.
However, more research is needed as my sample size can be seen as statistically insignificant.
And because I am certain my subjects are plotting my demise. If I am never heard from again, know it is them. They will look cute and innocent, but do not fall for it. They are always listening and plotting.