Icicleback

The icicleback has split from its ancestor the whiskerpick. It is half the size of its ancestor and has lost its "whiskerpicks". It has small spikes all over its back and outer legs which protect it from predators. It has developed a tolerance of the salty and vinegar tastes of the thawgrass. During the winter they will hibernate in burrows they dig during the summer. Like their ancestors, they are warm blooded and give birth to live young. The live young live in the warm pouch until they either have grown too big or they grow quills. However they will still nurse milk from the mother for up to a year after birth even if they cannot fit in the pouch. During the summer live in large herds and are quite social. However in the winter they will all go to their individual burrows to hibernate.