The story of the Bunlotl
“I know it’s wrong, but I’ve experimented with DNA.
In my tiny laboratory I’ve mixed and combined the DNA of many different animals,
but my biggest success was with two of them.
The DNA of a rabbit and an axolotl.
I’ve done it! A new species was born! I call it… the Bunlotl.”
The Development of the Mystical Egg
It starts with an egg. Small, soft, and fragile, as if straight out of a fairy tale. Its exterior glistens in the light, covered by a thin membrane reminiscent of frogspawn. But this egg is different. It holds a secret that slowly reveals itself through careful observation and dedication.
After countless attempts, I have finally found the perfect way to nurture this enigmatic life. Every step of its development has been meticulously studied and documented.
Hatching Conditions
🥚 Incubation period: 20 days
♨️ Temperature: Room temperature (between 19 and 25 degrees Celsius)
🌊 Environment: Dry soil or fresh water
Egg Observations
On dry soil
The membrane of the egg dries out and becomes as hard as glass, as if nature is forming a protective shield. The fluid inside turns a deep, mysterious blue, while the embryo remains white with blue spots—presumably the forming organs.
When the time is right, the baby breaks the shell with a small, shiny stone on its forehead. The creature drinks the blue fluid left behind and takes its first step toward life.
In fresh water
Here, the egg behaves very differently. The membrane stays soft and supple, like silk in the water. The fluid retains a milky white color with the same blue spots. When the baby breaks through, it uses its mouth to tear the membrane and eats part of it—a ritual that seems to symbolize its first meal.
Growth proceeds almost identically in both environments.
From day 16 onwards, the growth of both the egg and the embryo significantly slowed. Although their size barely changed, this provided a unique opportunity to observe the fine details of the developing creature.
Developmental Highlights
Day 7 – The first form
The Bunlotl now has a rounded shape. With a magnifying glass and good lighting, subtle indentations can be seen, indicating the head, tail, and feet. It’s as if the egg is gradually revealing the blueprint of a living being.
Day 10 – The bean phase
The Bunlotl now resembles a bean. The head has further developed, and in the right lighting, the first hints of small, delicate ears can be seen. The tail is more defined but still folded against the body.
Day 16 – Fully formed embryo
The Bunlotl is now clearly recognizable as an embryo. The head is well-defined and now carries six small ears, three on each side. The feet have more shape, and the arms are cautiously starting to form. The tail has detached from the body, creating an asymmetrical shape within the egg.
The Birth: Baby Bunlotls 🐣
In the end, I successfully hatched six babies. Their colors ranged from blue and dark blue to white. To my surprise, there were no visible differences in behavior or traits based on color. Whether the colors were related to their gender was impossible to determine; they were simply too young and small to assess.
Behavioral Observations
Although they instinctively knew they needed food to survive, they didn’t search for it themselves. Their large heads and small bodies made movement difficult. Even in water, where I had hoped they’d be more agile, they preferred shallow, calm areas. This was understandable since they had no gills.
Parental Role
It quickly became clear that the baby Bunlotls needed guidance from an adult of their kind. Without that guidance, they sometimes put themselves in danger, and despite my vigilance, I sadly lost one of the six.
I decided to take on the role of a parent Bunlotl and began searching for suitable food. My experiments ranged from herbs and grains to worms, cat food, and anything rabbits or axolotls would eat. The young Bunlotls had no clear preference—anything that fit in their mouths and seemed digestible was tried.
The Digestive System: An Intriguing Mechanism
Through observation and dissection of the deceased Bunlotl, I discovered how their digestion works. The Bunlotl uses its small hands to bring food to its mouth, making chewing motions. Although I initially thought they had molars, this turned out not to be the case.
Their unique digestive process involves two types of salivary glands:
- Enzymatic saliva: Helps break down sugars and starch.
- Acidic saliva: Facilitates the pre-digestion of proteins.
This combination ensures that food is slowly broken down before the stomach further digests it. The entire process takes about six hours, after which the Bunlotl excretes wet, elongated pellets along with small puddles of liquid. The Bunlotl has only one exit, causing urine and feces to be released simultaneously.
Growth Spurt: The Transformation from Axolotl to Rabbit-like Creature 🐰
The initial resemblance to an axolotl gradually began to fade. Visible changes occurred week by week:
- Hind Legs: Developed first, allowing the Bunlotls to walk and hop more efficiently, which increased their desire to explore.
- Body and Front Legs: The body became sturdier, and three fingers per front paw gradually emerged.
- Rabbit-like Features: The back of their bodies began to resemble that of a rabbit, with clearly visible ears and a developing tail.
- Mysterious Gem: The small, mysterious gem on their foreheads, however, remained unchanged and continues to raise questions.
Character Study of the Bunlotls
Now that the Bunlotls are growing and slowly approaching adulthood, it’s time to study their characteristics. To achieve optimal results, I decided to divide the Bunlotls into two groups. One group was released into an outdoor enclosure in the backyard (Group 1), while the other two Bunlotls remained in the living room (Group 2).
Group 1: Freedom in the Backyard
Group 1 was released into a large garden with a pond filled with fish, aquatic and pond plants, a grassy field, and ample shelter provided by an apple tree, hazelnut tree, shrubbery, and flowers. This group had no human interaction or scheduled feeding times.
💭 Behavior and Social Structure
From the start, the Bunlotls exhibited a strong survival instinct. They began organizing their environment and dividing tasks based on the group’s needs. A natural hierarchy quickly formed:
- Nest Builders: Some constructed nests using twigs, leaves, and fluff.
- Foragers: Others diligently searched for food.
- Defenders: One Bunlotl actively protected the territory from potential threats.
Notably, they took turns sleeping, indicating an instinctual vigilance within the group.
💎 Gem Development
The small gems on their foreheads fell off, revealing newly formed stones, each unique to the individual:
- Heart-shaped Gem: This Bunlotl was nurturing, tolerant, and played a key role in raising the young.
- Shield-shaped Gem: Territorial and protective, this Bunlotl defended the group against threats.
- Trillion-shaped Gem: A steadfast and decisive Bunlotl who emerged as the group’s leader.
Over time, I discovered new eggs in the pond. Twenty days later, three offspring hatched and were lovingly raised by the Bunlotl with the heart-shaped gem.
Group 2: Life in the Living Room
Group 2 was released into an enclosed living room with a sleeping area and litter box. This group had regular human interaction and scheduled feeding times.
💭 Behavior and Social Structure
Unlike Group 1, Group 2 did not rely on instinct for survival. As a result, no clear division of roles emerged. They lived independently and focused more on me than on each other. While they were not hostile towards each other, there was no apparent need for a strong hierarchy.
💎 Gem Development
The gems in this group also began to develop but took on entirely different shapes compared to those in Group 1:
- Hexagon-shaped Gem: This Bunlotl was adventurous, outgoing, and the biggest troublemaker.
- Navette-shaped Gem: Calm, peaceful, and deeply trusting, this Bunlotl was curious and seemed to view me as her primary social partner.
Experiment: Merging Groups
Curious about their reaction, I introduced Group 2 to Group 1 in the garden. As soon as the door opened, the leader of Group 1 approached us immediately. To my surprise, he seemed to recognize the Bunlotls from Group 2 from their baby phase. Although I couldn’t detect any audible communication, there appeared to be a subtle exchange between them.
The leader guided Group 2 to the rest of the group, where they were seamlessly accepted and immediately assigned roles. Shockingly, they no longer relied on me for support. I assumed their bond with me had faded, but I was mistaken.
An Emotional Moment
After some time, the Navette-gem Bunlotl approached me, gently tugging at my pants and squeaking softly. Curious, I followed her to the rest of the group. They led me to three newborns nestled in a well-crafted nest. Tears welled in my eyes as I realized not only could the Bunlotls produce healthy offspring, but they still considered me part of their family.
Remarkably, the new generation of young had different colors from previous babies, suggesting that Bunlotls might adapt their appearance based on their environment.
Communication Discovery
One lingering mystery was their method of communication. While they made cute sounds toward me and other creatures, they remained largely silent with each other, much like cats meowing at humans but not at fellow cats.
After extensive testing, I made a fascinating discovery: the gems on their foreheads emitted minute sound waves. These waves were so ultra-small that I suspect they used them for communication. This might hint at a more advanced evolutionary development—potentially telepathic communication. However, I have yet to prove this theory conclusively.
Release
Before long, the backyard became too small for this growing group of little creatures, and it was time to find a larger habitat. They needed space to run and swim with their adorable bunny legs and axolotl tails. While they weren’t hunters, they did eat small fish and worms. There were certainly enough potential natural predators in the wild. Being omnivores with a very slow digestive system, they wouldn’t starve quickly or exhaust the ground while foraging for food. They had also clearly proven that they could survive and reproduce, so this seemed like the right moment to release them.
A large enclosed area in the forest seemed like the perfect place for the Bunlotl to start a new life as a distinct species. They were happy with the freedom and space, which made saying goodbye less painful. On my way back to the car, there was another tug at my pants leg. This time, too, it was the navette-Bunlotl. She wanted me to come back with her to the group, but I shook my head. She then decided to walk with me all the way to the car and, without hesitation, jumped right in.
Now that I’ve seen they can also make wonderful pets in captivity, fulfilling personal needs and even being litter-trained, I’m ready to introduce them to the world—with the help of my little assistant.