Who is a Gerbil?

[Deskjet Shredder]

Today I've watched the ep "Bye Bye Fly" where Mikey turned into a rodent (actually, that was funny! :grin:). But whom did he turn into exactly? :???: In one translation they said it was a hamster, in another one they claimed it was a rabbit. I haven't found the Russian equivalent to the word "Gerbil" even in the biggest dictionary.

[Kali]

It is a rodent people keep as pets. They're a bit like mice (which makes me wonder why Mike looked like a hamster.)

[Deskjet Shredder]

Thanks. Is it an English word? (I just wonder why I haven't found it in the encyclopedia).

[Kali]

I don't know if it's an English word. The entry I found says gerbil's are from Africa and Asia minor. And there's even some in Russia.

[HorseTechie]

Ahhh! Gerbils... my expertise!

I honestly think they turned Mike into a hamster. Hamsters are light brown, have fuzzy fur, and they have very short tails.

I only had gerbils as pets when I was kid, cause I liked them more than hamsters. These guys take after the 'kangaroo rat', which is found in desert-like regions of northern Africa, Arabia, and Mongolia.

Gerbils are normally dark brown, have sleek fur, and a long tail that has a taft of fur at the end. They are also ten times more active that hamsters, and like scratching or chewing on things (a sign that they are burrowing animals).

http://www.gerbils.co.uk/

Aren't they soooo cute! :grin:
http://portfolio.iu.edu/sdlee/Images/gerbils.jpg

Whereas, this is a hamster...
http://portfolio.iu.edu/sdlee/Images/hamster.gif

*shuts up now*

[azure turtle]

LOL! How adorable. I wish I had some sort of rodent for a pet, but my parents were always afraid that it'd get loose and the house would become it's playground. Eh, parents are strange, ne?

[Machias Banshee]

heh, now instead of having a pet rodent despite your parents, now you have a pet rodent for a parent! :lol:

[azure turtle]

Gah!
*resists urge to bap Machias*
Now that I think of it, 'tis a bit ironic. :wink:

[Saisei]

Gerbils are definately the cutest rodents I've ever seen. My brothers and I used to have four of them, one each, but one day my youngest bro thought that they didn't look happy inside their cage and decided to set them free. We never got to see them again... :cry:

[azure turtle]

Awww....that's sad :sad:

[HorseTechie]

*hehe* that's the bad thing about gerbils. They are so hyper and skittish, they can be such a pain to catch if they get loose in the house!

It was funny, one gerbil I had named Hoggle had chewed out of the lil plastic cage he was in one morning. (He was still new, so I kept him in that cage until the other gerbils got used to him)

But Dad was sitting at the kitchen table drinking his coffee and reading the paper, when Hoggle goes running across the top of his bare feet. That surely gave him a jump start to the day! :lol:

[Machias Banshee]

If i could, i'd give you one of our baby hamsters.... :sad:

*snickers at Azure's urges*

[Kali]

And would anyone happen to know why they called Michaelangelo a gerbil when he was actually a hamster? Maybe they didn't know what a gerbil really looked like. I know I didn't until I looked it up today. I was a hamster person.

[azure turtle]

I had no idea what gerbils really looked like either. Hamsters I knew, but gerbils I just assumed were similar.

[Deskjet Shredder]

Hey, remember it's a TMNT discussion! :wink: Let's talk of Mikey. He was turned into a rodent without ears (so that can't be a rabbit) and without tail (and according to the photo HorseTechie has provided (BTW thanx HT they look really cute) gerbils have long tails.)

[Deskjet Shredder]

So I agree with those who said Mike was a hamster but I've got one more theory... Maybe Mike is a Guinea pig? :grin:

[azure turtle]

A guinea pig?? I dunno...I haven't seen that episode in such a long time. But maybe he was a guinea pig. Poor Mike...

[HorseTechie]

:lol: Thta's was what I thought too. They drew Mike soooo big, he looked more like a genia pig!

But we should all know the vaildity and irrational logic of the TMNT cartoons had. Like, how else can the TMNT (who are supposed to be in hiding) drive around a nearly vacant NYC in a colorful van with the logo on it and huge arsenal all over, and not cause the police to call in the SWAT team on them?

[Deskjet Shredder]

Well, I do agree that they should have chosen a less attractive van if they were going to hide. But were they? I mean, they did not want anyone to know about their lair but they were not hiding like... err... Like the Sailor Scouts, if you've seen this anime.

[Deskjet Shredder]

Okay, I know it is not a very good comparison and maybe an insult for the Turtles. :smile:

[HorseTechie]

heheh.. or Mike was a tribble... :razz:

[Kali]

Ooh, Mike the tribble! But he had eyes and a mouth and stuff. I had a stuffed tribble, it made that sweet cooing sound whenever you squeezed it. I loved that episode.

[Loolaa]

I can just picture Kirk in my head from that episode. He's standing there with the door above his head open with all the tribbles falling onto his head, looking fed up. Heheh.
I wish i had a toy tribble. :smile:

Loolaa

[Kali]

The toys were cute. They were like ten dollars. The only problem was that you couldn't replace the batteries when they wore out.

*looks out for off-topic cops* Someone should take that screen shot and put an orange bandanna on one. *lol*

[Deskjet Shredder]

Well, from your discussion I've got a vague idea of who a tribble is. But I would like to know more about it. The only thing I know is, that Tribble was the name of the Neutrino child from "Four Turtles and a Baby". :smile:

[Kali]

*giggle* Sorry, we got off topic. A tribble is from Star Trek. It's this little ball of fur. It eats and reproduces, and makes a soothing sound, but that's about it.

[Mica]

Gah... The reason Mike is a Gerbil is the same reason that the turtles are amphibans in some eps. The same reason that the Turtle Van can plunge into the River and be seen in the next scene with no explaination. IT'S CARTOON LOGIC! DON'T QUESTION IT! :wink: hee hee

Yeah, I think they shouldn't have put "TURTLES" on thier blimp and on their Van if they were trying to go incognito. But, once again, cartoon logic. And it's CLOSE to a law of anime : Law of Anime #46

Law of Flimsy Incognition

Simply changing into a costume or wearing a teensy mask can make you utterly unrecognizable to even your closest friends and relatives.

(to see more, go here: http://www.abcb.com/laws/ )

Thankfully, TMNT wasn't TOO evil with laws of anime...

~Mica

[HorseTechie]

heheh.. just as I was sayin', Mica. :wink:

(this of which, also reminds me how they called that big red-eared slider an endangered hawk-billed sea turtle in TNM)

[Deskjet Shredder]

On 2002-04-23 13:34, Mica wrote:
The reason Mike is a Gerbil is the same reason that the turtles are amphibans in some eps
Oh, were they really called amphibans? What an insult! :eek: I thought that was just the silly translation...

[Kali]

Nope, every now and then they were actually called amphibians. I can understand the bad guy saying that, but it was actually painful to hear one of the guys refer to themselves as an amphibian.

[Kameko]

They referred to THEMSELVES as amphibians? Wow, that's pathetic.

Though, then again, there's something I've noticed in the third movie (not my fave, but it is pretty funny). When the guys first travel through time and the horses throw them into the water, Leo says, and I quote:

"I think I swallowed a frog. I hope it wasn't an ancestor."

Now, considering that turtles are reptiles, that really doesn't make much sense to me. Aw, well, regardless, it was still funny.

[Kali]

I thought that too. The line is still funny, and I'd rather not ruin the movie for myself by getting all upset over it.

But yes, a couple times, they did say they were amphibians. Most of the time they said reptiles or turtles. But there was also the breathing under water thing they shouldn't have been able to do.

[Deskjet Shredder]

According to one of the theories of the "Life Origin", reptiles came of amphibians, as well as ampibians came of fish etc.

[Mica]

On 2002-04-23 14:06, HorseTechie wrote:
(this of which, also reminds me how they called that big red-eared slider an endangered hawk-billed sea turtle in TNM)


Well, i doubt they could actually get ahold of an endangered turtle species to use for the show, so they just depended on the unknowlege of the public and used a red eared slider..

~Mica (you mean turtles AREN'T amphibians? :evilgrin: )

[Deskjet Shredder]

As to the "Cartoon Logic", I can say that the Turtles are too quick for turtles! :smile: But no one pays attention to the fact that they should move at the speed of a snail... :smile:

[Kameko]

Snail, Shmail. Turtles always win the race!

"Go! Move it, will ya? Oh, you're lettin' him blow right by ya!" *Turns to Donatello* "Can you believe this guy!? Come on! Don't just-- ninja-kick the d*mn rabbit! Do Something!"
-- Michaelangelo, while watching the Tortoise and the Hare cartoon

[Mica]

Turtles are NOT slow! My turtle is VERY fast. I put him down on the cement in the backyard, and he gets across the yard in a VERY short time. He's fast.

But as for the TMNT being slow, why would they? They're not cold-blooded anymore (couldn't be.. how could they suvive in the sewers if so... I don't care what Raph says in Vol. 4, Raph don't know nothing ;P) And they don't have little limbs and big shells like normal turtles, so they'd be a lot faster. Plus the fact they've trained thier whole lives in being quick and agile. (quite a feat with those shells!)

~Mica

[HorseTechie]

:lol: I was thinking about this the other day (Padugi was so hyper from the storms coming in, she was 'bouncing' off the walls of her cage), that the only slow turtles would be the really cold ones or the really big tortoises. The average box turtle/pond turtle can really move if they had too!

If you want to talk about a slow critter, sloths are very slow movers! They say they don't move very fast, cause the food they eat doesn't give them enough energy. *tsk*

[Kali]

Turtles are actually faster than one would think. They just aren't built for speed and tend be go slow to save energy most of the time.

And I don't think Mutant Turtles are cold blooded. If I was wearing just the gear they have on, I'd be cold too! I'd be very cold in fact, and probably drawing more of a crowd than the Turtles would. :razz:

[Kameko]

*snickers* Hmmm...there are some draw-backs to cold weather, aren't there?

[Mica]

rofl! reminds me of my Venus coustume :wink: LOL, I'll have to take a piccy of that and show it to you guys some time...


~Mica (paper mache shells are HEAVY...)

[Deskjet Shredder]

On 2002-04-23 14:40, Kali wrote:
Turtles are actually faster than one would think. They just aren't built for speed and tend be go slow to save energy most of the time.

Well, they don't need to hurry! :smile: They live for hundreds years, don't they?

[tekcop]

off topic:
my little sister just got a hamster the other day. she calls him furry, but i call him splinter. ok...

[Kali]

On 2002-04-23 14:40, Kali wrote:
And I don't think Mutant Turtles are cold blooded. If I was wearing just the gear they have on, I'd be cold too! I'd be very cold in fact, and probably drawing more of a crowd than the Turtles would.
It must be the allergy medicine, because I actually got my sketchbook out and drew this.

Thank goodness for long hair.

[Deskjet Shredder]

On 2002-04-23 16:31, tekcop wrote:
my little sister just got a hamster the other day. she calls him furry, but i call him splinter.

If you call a hamster "Splinter", that's OK. It would be worse if you called Splinter a hamster! :grin:

[Mica]

What about calling him Rat-boy? :wink: Or "da cuuuute wittle mousie head!" Sometimes he's drawn real funky tho, and he don't look like no rat!! ;p hee hee

~Mica

[HorseTechie]

Or if he looked like a gruff Mickey Mouse, with the name of MatchStick. :razz:

[Kameko]

On 2002-04-24 13:39, HorseTechie wrote:
Or if he looked like a gruff Mickey Mouse, with the name of MatchStick. :razz:



Hmmm...that's just weird... :goofygri:

[HorseTechie]

heheh... so is Grey-Green Spongesuit Sushi Turtles.

Hookay... yeah, my college roomie had a pet rat named Splinter too!

[Machias Banshee]

Heheh, who ever said TMNT was a kids thing, eh?

Hmmm, I've always wanted to have a pet turtle, just so i could call him Mikey or maybe ninja...

[Deskjet Shredder]

On 2002-04-24 14:30, Machias Banshee wrote:
Heheh, who ever said TMNT was a kids thing, eh?

Well, I had thought cartoons were for kids before I watched "Monsters Inc." What age was it made for? Do children understand the problems of the corporation and energy crisis? Oh, sorry, I'm getting off-topic...

[Kameko]

Yeah, but animated movies like Shrek, Antz, and A Bug's Life aren't exactly for kids, either. *hides from off-topic police*

[Deskjet Shredder]

But if these cartoons are for adults, why did the girl from "Monsters Inc" make noises a-la TeleTubbies? :razz:

[Kameko]

Who knows? *sai* cartoon logic at it's best, I guess.

[HorseTechie]

But.. those are comics made for us adult types who sudffer from Peter-Pan Syndrome! :wink:

( Or they are working on stuff that kids will find fun to look at, and at the same time interesting for the adult to listen to a million times over. *shrug* )

[azure turtle]

Heh...I never get tired of comics or cartoons, no matter how many times someone tells me that it's for kids. I think I've definitely got Peter-Pan syndrome. :anime:

[enigma-1]

*dragged thru thread once again* You're not the only one.... HEEL! Biscuit! Heeel! *dragged out again*

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: enigma-1 on 2002-05-31 23:26 ]</font>

[Samantha]

Yup, I'm the exact same way. Definate Peter Pan syndrome. But speaking of Disney movies (the still empire of animation), movies like Monsters Inc, etc apparently aren't made for kids they're made "for the kids inside all of us". *ponders where in fact she read that* Take something like "Toy Story" though. Kids will definatly enjoy it, but a lot of the jokes are strictly for the parents, and I think adults probably get more out of something like "Toy Story" than kids. *looks around room* Gee, I think I'm probably the only high school student who still has stuffed animals.

[azure turtle]

LOL! Well said, Samantha! And hey, I've got a few stuffed animals myself, and I'm a 19 year old guy in college :razz: Most of the things I have I won at Las Vegas, though.
*starts to count*
My giant Spider-Man, Bulbasaur, spotted dog, lion, and a few smaller ones. I think I may have a few stuffed animals that I got as gifts during my "kid" days, but I'd have to go look for those. :grin:

[Samantha]

Heh, and I thought I was the only person past the age of twelve who still had stuffed animals. Aw, but they are so ADORABLE! In my room there's my giant giraffe (Timothy), little polor bear (Nora), tiger (Scampers), elephant (Trunkie) and teddy bear (Zelda) who was my "lovey" as a child as some would describe it. My closets on the other hand, are stuffed with every single stuffed animal I ever owned (translation: more than Azure has postes). This is why no one in my family opens those closets, so we do not have to hear them scream "Avalanche!!". Aw, now everyone knows what a messy child I am at heart (my room is referred to as the aftermath of a tornado). I didn't even mention my porchlin dolls....

[azure turtle]

LOL! Wow, it must be one heckuva room. :wink:
*makes mental note to never open Samantha's closet*

[Kali]

Hee hee, I have a few stuffed animals, mostly just a few cats and some Halloween themed things. Oh, and Raph, of course. :smile:

[Deskjet Shredder]

I have got many stuffed animals but they are not related to any cartoons. Just soft dogs, fluffy cats, teddy bears etc. Oh, wait... I have a big toy which represents one of Donald Duck's nephews. BTW, what were their names? In Russian version of the "Duck Tales", they were called Billy, Willy and Dilly. But I've heard that their original names were different and hard to pronounce. :???:

[Loolaa]

Hewi, Dewi and Lewi. :grin:
I have a few cuddly toys, but I always prefered figures.

[azure turtle]

Duck Tales! Oy, I loved that show. I think I may have a few episodes still on tape. :grin:

[Deskjet Shredder]

Thanks, Loolaa. I wonder whether such names really exist in the USA or they were invented by the scriptwriters just to sound equally?

[Deskjet Shredder]

Talking of tapes, I used to have many eps of "Duck Tales" but recently I've erased all of them. Now the tapes contain "TMNT". I'm afraid that when my tastes change again I'll use these cassettes for something else ("Quantum Leap" or "Knight Rider").

[Loolaa]

Gah!! You can't tape Quantum Leap and Knightrider over TMNT!!! *looks panicked* Buy new tapes!!!

As for the duck nephews, Hewi is just Huey with a different spelling and Lewi is Loui spelt differently. (In fact I could have spelt them wrong...) *shrugs*
Is Dewi a name in the states?

Oh yeah and ... Duck Tales WOO OOO! I've got the theme stuck in my head now.. :roll:

[Deskjet Shredder]

I liked the theme song "Chip-Chip-Chip-Chip-n-Dale" :smile: Don't worry, Loolaa, I am not going to erase the TMNTs in the next few years. And then... Who knows? Maybe alternate sources of information will be available (I mean video tapes of higher density or rewritable DVDs)

[HorseTechie]

Hehee.. then Talespin came out, and I loved that one the best. :razz:

I still have my stuffed critters from when I was a kid too. They all were little ones I have sitting on a shelf now. The Kings Island Mikey plush, a unicorm, the Pound Puppies, etc. I leave them in my old bedroom at my parents house though, since I'm more of a figure fanatic. (and I have the best stuffed animal of all - my hubby!)

[azure turtle]

LOL! Ah, the memories. I miss being a carefree kid...all I had to worry about back then was finding someone to play with. Nowadays, I gotta worry about exams, work, etc. And I hear it just gets worse once you go step into the world on your own. :razz:

[HorseTechie]

*hear hear*

Maaaan.. I *miss* college. Even more, I reeeeeally miss summer and winter break! In most full time jobs, you get only two weeks paid vacation, if any unpaid vacation at all. And some jobs need you to work weekends and/or holidays. Advice: choose your job wisely!

*clears throat* Yeah... TMNT.. hrmm... *blink*

[azure turtle]

LOL! Well said, HT!
*ponders getting a job at Mirage*

[enigma-1]

Why do you think I'm sticking to the one thing that I'm good at? Writing, my one and first love.