This chapter will basically be covering a few very broad topics. I won't be explaining them in great detail, but hopefully enough to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.
Also remember that you don't have to do/have any of these to be a therian! It is perfectly ok not to do quads or have a ton of gear!
Quadrobics
Quadrobics (or simply "quads" as most people call it) is an extreme sport consisting of the movement of a person on four limbs simulating the movements of animals (walking, running, jumping), their gait and characteristic gaits.
A lot of therians (especially on TikTok and other social media platforms) do a lot of quadrobics, especially jumps. It's a good way to exercise and helps a therian to feel more like their theriotype. Unfortunately, this only really includes land and marine animals, as humans can't fly to imitate avian creatures.
If you want to learn how to do quads, I would recommend watching tutorials on YouTube or TikTok as there are plenty there. Here are some tips that I have for all beginners:
-Start with learning to walk, then canter/gallop/run, then jump and trot. Jumping and trotting are HARD, despite how easy they may look.
-When starting with jumping, start with very small jumps. First start with something like a little stick or broom to jump over, then move on to something bigger, like a line of bricks, then something like a stack of newspapers.
-Doing quads is hard on your body because we're used to walking upright. Take some time to properly strengthen your body by doing pushups or other similar exercises.
-If your wrists or muscles or joints hurt, take a break! Don't practice for hours on end, you can seriously hurt yourself.
Gear
A lot of therians also wear gear such as masks, ears, tails, gloves, et cetera.
A good place to buy tails is Etsy if you want a real fur tail. Never buy from Amazon, AliExpress, or sites that sell a lot of things from Asia! Often, real fur tails from Asia are from cruel fur farms because it's cheaper, and they can make more products for less money. They'll kill foxes, minks, and other animals just for their fur and tails and dump the rest, and it's a waste of an innocent life. They also cramp hundreds of animals in tiny spaces, and that makes their living conditions miserable. It's much more humane to buy from an ethically-sourced shop. A lot of Etsy sellers ethically source their animal products, and use the whole animal to make sure it's not a waste. Just make sure to research shops to see if they're ethically sourced!
There are also faux fur options, although you should be careful that the faux fur doesn't fall out everywhere, because it's really bad for the environment. Another option is simply making your own tail from wool! There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube.
A way you can disguise your tail is if you clip it onto a bag that you wear often, like a bum bag or shoulder bag. They can look like a keychain/keyring kind of thing, and if you put it at the back, you can feel it when you're walking.
Masks are another very popular option for gear. You can buy them on Amazon for cheap prices. They're just made of paper/card, and you can paint them, felt them, or put faux fur on them. They're good for if you'd like to remain anonymous online if you want to post therian content as a lot of people might see and if people you know in real life see, they could out you if you're not out already.
Some therians also wear ears and gloves. Some might wear wings for avian theriotypes. Some people might wear collars. In my opinion, collars and gloves would be the easiest to get, since they don't really raise suspicion. If you have a dog or a cat, no one would suspect a thing if you bought a collar, and if people ask why your dog or cat isn't wearing the collar, you could just say it got lost or they didn't like wearing it.
Dens
A lot of therians post on TikTok how they make dens. I personally haven't made a den yet, but I'm clearing a space in a nice dark place to make mine. Your den could also be a place to hide your gear if you're not out to your family, or if you have friends that aren't very supportive! You can decorate your den like your theriotype's habitat, too, like a forest or a cave.
Theriotype Snacks
Some ideas for snacks for some therians that I've come up with include:
Dry cereal to imitate kibble for dog or cat therians
Dried meat snacks/fish snacks for carnivore therians
Fruit and veggie snacks for herbivore therians, or cat-safe and dog-safe fruits and veggies for cats and dogs
Scroggin or trail mix for bird therians, or for rodent therians
I hope this chapter helped! The next chapter will be about how to come out as a therian.
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𓍊𓋼 ☾ Kai's Guide To Therianthropy ☽ 𓋼𓍊
Non-Fiction☆ This is a guide to therianthropy, as well as some of my personal experiences such as shifts and how I figured out my theriotypes. ☆ I am an awakened therian of 2 years, so I don't know everything. If you think something is wrong, please don't hes...
