Tips on Raising Meeroos

By Kitacelia Resident

Meeroos are among the most popular of breedable animals in SL. The Mainstore sells many starter packs, which while convenient offer the least sought after types for a price much higher than they would ever sell for as individual nests.  While it gives you a home and food for so many weeks, I do not recommend this package unless you happen to have a lot more lindens than you do time.  All meeroos start out in nests, which you coax, please make sure the land is set to the same group or it may not find a home.  These homes cost about 250L, and can house up to 8 meeroos.  Meeroos of different kinds coats and sizes will all share the same home.  Homes come in many shapes and designs, just make sure it is a home designed as an official home and not something purely aesthetic.




Meeroos mature in about 7 real-life days, at which point they are able to mate.  To mate their personalities must be compatible for example aggressive will not mate with friendly but will made with shy. They have seasons which differ depending on basic type and region they come from.  all meeroos can interbreed. Meeroos will stop breeding at 60 days of age, but still require food.
You can lengthen the season of a meeroo by purchasing a "battery" at the mainstore or elsewhere.

Meeroos eat four times a day and there are five types of meeroo foods, desert grass which feeds those from arid regions, berries which feed those from temperate areas, and jungle vines which feed those who come from more tropical locales. Florofruit feeds all nocturnal meeroos.  Ambroosia feeds all types of meeroos besides meepets.  Ambroosia costs a little more than the other food types because it is easier.  All food is cheaper in bulk amounts.

Meeroos will run away if they do not have food for 3 real-life days.  A meeroo who runs away or is lost some other way other than being released can be whistled back by a Customer Service Representative for a cost of about 350.  There are also toys, decorations and costumes you can purchase for your meeroos, but they are not required. Meeroos can be made into non-eating, non-breeding meepets that do not run away for a cost of 1000 lindens each.  They will then eat free honey from the mainstore. It is a little cheaper if you buy the honey-dipper in bulk. 

Meeroos come with several distinct traits. Some of the most sought after include rabbit-like or "flitter" ears and vulpine like or fox characteristics.  They come in sizes that include teacup, toy, small, average, large and giant, the sizes tend to be more individul preference than anything.   The ears can be soft, button, notched, long down, short down, flitter, upright, or normal, or fringed only in the case of nocturnals. tails can be feline, curl, long, vulpine, normal,  or in the cases of noctural lantern or brush, which is the standard for nocturnals.  Only nocturnals have bioluminescence which can be shimmer, dew or sparkling.  Nocts have a lure, unlike diuranl roos, the lure can be ancient, classic, sweptback or the much sought after "scarab" which is a double lure which looks like a pair of antennae.  Coats can be striped as in bengal, or masked, solid etc.  Nocts usually have a sort of spotted tribal pattern to their coats.  

There are limited meeroo such as dryad ,which do not pass on their traits but which have a very very slim chance of being produced by almost any breeding pair.   Clover were a beta-testing gift and also do not pass on traits.   In the next version release they are going to have wings and horns as possible traits, which is much eagerly awaited.

Kitacelia Resident

Meeroo Auctions

Having immersed myself into the Meeroos, I decided to head out and head for the Meeroo sim itself and check out the Meeroo Auctions they were having over there. I was surprised that such an auction house existed, but I probably shouldn't have been - I tell others "if it exists in real-life it exists in SL" all the time. I went over expecting to see a lot of shops and hear barkers giving prices for Meeroos, and I was not disappointed.

The sim is one big Meeroo store, with almost all traits, breeds, and varieties represented. I saw several places that had a lot of "rare coats" and a lot of "random nest givers" that promised good breeding lines and rare, normally-expensive 'roos at much cheaper prices... if you got lucky. Of course, seeing so many "rare coats" in one place kind of dumbed them down for me, I saw one pen filled with blue-coated meeroos that were supposed to be "very rare." Naturally, the more common the meeroo, rare coat or not, the less it would potentially be "worth."

In one corner of the sim, Auctioneer Emra Jantzen was calling out various meeroos and their bloodlines, sounding much like an overexcited infomercial. I mean that in a good way, because she had a LOT of interest and a lot of people clustered around the platform, all of them making various bids on the various meeroos presented before them. I caught up with her after her shift and asked her a few questions on the whole thing.

Xymbers Slade: How long have you been "hawking the 'roos"? Can you give a little bit of history behind the auctioneering here?

Emra Jantzen: I have been calling Meeroo auctions since late July, but Meeroo Market opened in late August. Daemon actually had a market on the sim but no auction area until August, when he decided to cash in on the growing trend of auctioning meeroos.

Xymbers Slade: Was it hard getting started? Did you just set up one day with a handful of nests and start calling them out?

Emra Jantzen: I actually started out as just a customer, new to meeroos, watching the auctions. I've been a DJ in SL for years and thought, how hard could this be? I didn't really think it through. It's a lot of work. I started at another auction house and was hooked at my first auction when I managed to sell a loch for 75000$L.

Xymbers Slade: How can you tell if a particular meeroo is very valuable, or is it just "the more traits the better"?

Emra Jantzen: It follows a simple supply and demand theory. The less there are of a coat the more valuable it is. If a rare coat has traits, that just ups the value more. If you come to one of my auctions you can hear me preach this, the more traits on a coat as possible. If a roo has just a coat the value will go down. If a roo has a rare coat with 3 good traits, its going to hold its value.

Xymbers Slade: How difficult would you say is it to get the particular traits? Is it luck, skill, patience or all three?

Emra Jantzen: Patience and skill with a dash of luck. If you know what you want and can wait it out you can get it. Knowing what is in the background of your roos genetics is key. I personally have managed to create a very reliable long mane line from two chest fluff off springs. It just took me awhile.

Xymbers Slade: How much would you say a Tribal with clear eyes, short tail, and short upturned ears would be (as that's the one I think I want the most)?

Emra Jantzen: A roo is only worth as much as someone will pay. That being said, I have seen tribals with no traits being sold for anywhere between 125k to 150k. The traits would add a significant amount to the price.

Xymbers Slade: Does it surprise you how much some of these meeroos go for? I was hearing bids of 4000, which is almost $20 USD, for 13 linked prims. (smile)

Emra Jantzen: Yes it does. You came on a bad night, we have sold roos for more then 150,000Ls here, and I have seen them priced for much more in markets. I always told myself I would never pay more then 5000 for a roo. I bought my first jubilee for 25,000. I think it gets kind of addicting at the auctions and before you know it you are bidding right along with everyone else.

Xymbers Slade: I heard the most one went for was $350,000L. What is the most you've sold a meeroo for, and where does the money all go?

Emra Jantzen: I don't have all of the high end roos that a lot have. I refused to invest in them for a long time and so I have fallen behind. The best one I sold was a Chest fluff back when they were selling for 16,000. I can't say where everyone else's money but mine actually goes to my RL. Being a single mother, the money from my auctions has really saved me a number of times. I actually paid my electric bill and rent last month with Roo money. I also pay my tier in world and pay for food for my roos. My tips last week will buy my kids Christmas presents when it gets in my bank.

Xymbers Slade: Finally, what do you think the chances are of a 'roo having "all" special traits (a hair trait, eye, rare coat... everything)... has it happened? What kind of price would it fetch?

Emra Jantzen: I have never seen a roo that had it all, but I personally know a few breeders who are trying. One in particular has come close, and you can sometimes see the results of her breeding in our auctions. We call them Callista Roos. I can only imagine how high they would go for when someone does manage to get all the traits in one roo.

Now, I've come close in my own meeroo breeding. I've gotten a couple of "short shorts" as they're termed, meeroos with the traits of "Short Tail" and "Short Upright Ears" (there are five possible "trait" slots, one for head shape, tail curl, clear eyes, ear shape, and coat). While I don't think I'll be putting them on the auction house (I want to see if I can get anything good out of my 'roos first), this is a good example of SL helping support people in real-life and what SL could be for everyone if done RIGHT. While I couldn't last more than ten minutes listening to someone bark out the virtues of something, I'm still giving the Meeroo Auction House five Dragon Hoards out of five. It can be found at Meeroo (218, 223, 25) so if you're looking for a possible bargain on the 'roo craze, that is a good place to check out and shop.

Xymbers Slade

Meeroo Madness

I normally hate breedables in SL. They're clumsily-animated given the restraints in SL, they're expensive, they eat up a lot of prims, they have more hovertext over them than are words in the English language, they are usually actual physical objects (making them lag even more when there are dozens standing around), and so on. But, curious, when I noticed a Meeroo shop behind my cave a few days ago, I went to investigate.

With lots of different "nests" to choose from, I first looked at the ones in the pen in the middle. The Meeroos look like what I considered to be a cross between a squirrel and a rodent, and were just moving around, as they were programmed to do. Every so often they'd take a nibble at their food bowl (which I learned has a finite supply of food, so you have to keep buying more), sometimes they'd dig up treasures (worth points to their owner), and every now and again they would ask to be cuddled (which you do by a HUD). I decided to wander a couple of the Meeroo-related sims looking for more information, and on visiting to the Roo and Muffin sims (where the main store and some shops are), I asked a few people "What's the appeal of these things?"

I didn't get many answers, until I ran into "The Spookster" and we had a brief discussion:

Xymbers Slade: What's the appeal of these meeroo things?
The Spookster: What's the appeal of being dressed up as a poorly done imitation of bowser?
The Spookster: There are people in this world that can't have pets. Can't have children... can't leave their homes.
The Spookster: Things like this comfort them
Xymbers Slade: Ok, that quote I'm saving. You have a good point.
The Spookster: It's a beautifully built interactive virtual pet that offers companionship, atmosphere and joy to those that can't have it in other parts of their lives.
Xymbers Slade: After looking at things I admit I caved. I bought eight. And apparently one of them is going to be "giant".
The Spookster: I have rage issues IRL. I've been sent to see a therapist. I actually showed her Meeroos and told her how calming they were for me, she said they were a positive idea.
Xymbers Slade: No kidding? Wow.
The Spookster: yes, there are some that are expensive.
The Spookster: But I can sit around with all of my meeroos, working on what I do... and the noises, the friends I've made with them.
The Spookster: It's just a really positive world for me.
Xymbers Slade: I just started. Bought eight, dumped them in my skybox where I do fortune tellings and stuff
The Spookster: -chuckles-
Xymbers Slade: Now I just need to wait for them to grow up and get into 100% comfort or something
The Spookster: I've been at it for about 15 weeks now.
The Spookster: Petting them will raise comfort
The Spookster: If they go without food, it'll drop.
Xymbers Slade: Do you think they could be a real-life business? Like selling rares enough to actually afford real-life bills?
The Spookster: There's no special requirements for breeding other than compatibility.
The Spookster: I've sold two meeroos for 20k each.
Xymbers Slade: o.O
The Spookster: but keeping up on top of the rares is hard.
The Spookster: I had a tiger ear and long mane.. back when it was one of 12 on the grid
The Spookster: Someone wanted it so badly.. and honestly, I couldn't pass up the money. (I run an SL business and needed it for rent)
Xymbers Slade: I just have common ones... gael and the wine-something skin
[The Spookster: Winecoats.
The Spookster: I have about 50 roos, but only because I can't bring myself to release them! (big grin)
Xymbers Slade: Heh. Any real rare ones?
The Spookster: Emperor, Koi, Nile, All traits.
Xymbers Slade: I'm assuming they won't come out of ones I currently have...
The Spookster: Feline, Canine, Curled, V.short, Notched, Tiger, Button, Fluff and Chest, Long Mane.
The Spookster: Did you get starter nests from the Meeroo's mainstore?
The Spookster: Or did you buy them from random people?
Xymbers Slade: No, from my friend's store. I just grabbed eight at random.
The Spookster: Well
Xymbers Slade: But they were common ones
The Spookster: Here's the thing. No meeroo is common. They may LOOK it, but Meeroos are built around the concept of Mendelian Genetics. There could be KOI in any of those bloodlines, but you won't get a Koi until you find another with the gene. Make sense?
Xymbers Slade: A little, yeah. I know the concept but I've never wrapped my head around it.
The Spookster: taking you back to the sanctuary
The Spookster: so I can show you my lunatic roos?

She took me back to her skybox where quite a few Meeroos were wandering about. I must be jaded; the first thing I thought was "the prim count must be astronomical." We talked for a bit more and I went back to one of the mainstores, where I brought up the fact I was just starting. Someone out of the blue gave me four nests, saying "Good luck with them! x3" I guess nests are common enough that they can just be handed out if you run into the right people.

I finally decided they were cute enough, and bought three houses (250L each), 3 food bowls (1600L apiece but it lasts for a while), and a total of nineteen Meeroos (between 200L and 500L apiece; individual Meeroo sellers may vary). There are other "add ons" one can buy for their Meeroos, such as a "Meeroo translator" and an "auto-petter"... THEN I had to get individual *batteries* for the petter! The people who made these things must be making a tidy profit! The translator makes them say funny phrases on occasion (which you can add to; one of mine is "Occupy Wall Street? How about I occupy your hands instead... CUDDLE ME!") and the Auto-Petter "pets" your Meeroos at set intervals to raise "regard" (which is like improving odds that when breeding you get a rare coat or trait). Now I have quite the menagerie running around my home land in a skybox, but it was at a cost --- I had to get rid of my 125-prim stargates to make room. At 13 prims each, they DO add up!

What surprises me is the sheer cost of some of these "rare" Meeroos. One of them down in the store I got my original set was $16,000L (about $64 in real dollars), about the price of one month's rent on my land. I asked several people how much some of the rarest went and they said about 150K $L to 350K $L --- in real dollars, that could go half way to paying my bills! I could see how this could become a big business or profitable side venture if done -right-... although my landlady suggested to me that the market was bloated right now because more rare coats are showing up.

The Meeroos take 5 days of real time to mature and then they enter breeding cycles that rise and fall based on their "personality". So in order to get them to breed, they not only have to be in season, they have to have compatable personalities. Their breeding longevity is limited; after sixty real-time days, they become "elderly" and unable to breed.

350,000 $L though... damn, I must be in the wrong business.

Finally, on return to the Meeroo sims I learned that "Generation 2" or something similiar is about to be released... the "dark meeroos", though I think I'll just stick with the ones I have now, both due to prim limits on my land and especially since upon telling some people I am new to the whole thing, they kept giving me "good offspring" for breeding. They gave me a "Koi" coat and an "Emperor" coat (both male, so no intermixing there); I had to buy a FOURTH house and many weeks worth of "berries" for them to eat. Did I say menagerie? I meant infestation. I meant to have 8, I ended up with 27.

You can find all things Meeroo at the Roo sim (Roo, 68,44,21), at Muffins of Doom (Muffins, 76,130,22), at Mo's Meeroo Home of the Free (Purity, 49, 221,24), and there is a small shop at Sunweaver Air (143, 140, 25),and as a self-plug my own set of pens is at Sunweaver Air : Sunweaver Air (182, 100, 1252). There must be far more places than the ones I've listed; those are just the ones I've been to.

I'm going to give this whole thing 4 Dragon Hoards out of Five. It's unusual enough to keep someone's interest, the variety of combinations is a strong selling point (nevermind the six figure value!) although in most of these stores, the nests you can buy have hovertext over them --- to the point where if you go to the stores, you can't see one individual Meeroo's traits due to the ocean of hovertext from the others.

Xymbers Slade

Those Magical Meeroos

Meeroos are the latest breedable “animal” to hit SL, but don’t be concerned that you’re never heard or seen one in RL. A Meeroo is the unique creation of Malevay Studios, whose official website can be found at www.worldofmeeroos.com. Malevay Studios has gone a step beyond the usual breedable SL animal with the Meeroo by incorporating social interaction, breeding limitations, and an appealing “legend” and mythology. Their goal is obvious. They want Meeroos to appeal to everyone: entrepreneurs, pet lovers, and gamers. So far they appear to be succeeding.

Meeroos became available in SL on May 21, but they were previously available to some in Beta. Wizard Muldoon and Lady Elysa were two of the lucky residents who had beta Meeroos. Both of them were enthusiastic about the new animals. Muldoon, who has raised both horses and cats, likes Meeroos because they will have personality and interact with their owners.

When I met Lady Elysa, she was sitting in a lovely, surrounded by Meeroos. She and her Meeroos are located at Elegance by Elysa, Oasis of Qaf, Rare Jewel (167, 132, 25). The Meeroos were very cute, and Lady Elysa was friendly and helpful. Not only did she spend time talking with me, she has created notecards about Meeroo breeding, eye colors, and other useful information.

Describing the appeal of Meeroos, Lady Elysa said, “The creators gave us a little creature that recognizes us. They wake up when we come into the area. They come to us. They respond when they are petted, and they beg to be picked up and snuggled.” When Meeroos are petted, they glow.

Meeroos come in different sizes, from tiny tea cup to giant, and in a variety of fur and eye colors, including dusty or clear eyes. As with the other SL breedables, some colors and types are rare and thus more expensive. What makes Meeroos most unique, however, are their personality traits, which include shy, friendly, mischievous, lazy, and aggressive. (Aggressive ones are more talkative and interactive, not mean.)

While Lady Elysa and I were talking, Mary Meeroo came up. In my chat window appeared, “Mary Meeroo whispers: Elysa Swansong will you please pick me up and snuggle me?” I was amazed! I have many animals that I talk to, but none of them has ever initiated a conversation with me. Lady Elysa explained that this happens all the time, although some Meeroos are chattier than others.

The prices for Meeroos vary. Ones with clear eyes, which are more rare, cost more. Also the tea cup and giants, being the smallest and largest, cost more than the in-between sizes. I found an auction where the current bids were $8000L each for three tea cups, two females and a male. I don’t know if that was the final price, however.

Entrepreneurs are hopeful that some of the safeguards included by Malevay Studios will help Meeroos hold their value. Unlike rabbits and some other breedable animals, Meeroos will not mass reproduce. Only specific Meeroos will breed with other specific Meeroos. It is hoped that this will keep the market from being over saturated.

Malevay Studios has also added a feature called Regard points that owners can earn. Whenever the owners pet Meeroos, they gain points, although it was not immediately clear what the points do. Owners can socialize with other owners and their Meeroos to earn points that way, too.

Meeroos are busy little creatures, constantly digging and exploring. They dig up buried treasures like broken pipes, old coins, and rotted fruit. Gold exists, too, but is rare. However, if an owner clicks on any treasure, Regard points are awarded.

So far lots of residents appear to be interested in Meeroos. At one site, seven people were looking when I stopped by. The seller, Lanier Matova, said he had sold 6 already, and it was only the second day after their release. At another site, residents BlueJeanSparx Melody and Bryan (greg1990) were hoping Meeroos were cheaper to keep than horses. Bryan told me his horses ate so much that he was paying as much for food as he did for his land rent. A typical Meeroo will eat one bowl of wild Berries a week, which will cost $63L.

For residents that aren’t interested in breeding and selling, there is an option that turns the Meeroos into an easy to care for pet. For a one-time payment of $1500L, the Meeroo can be transformed into a pet that does not require food and can be kept forever. Also, Lady Elysa emphasized that petting and interaction is optional. She said, “There's no need for anyone to stress, thinking that they will be a lot of work, because it's all totally optional.”

Grey Lupindo