ISSUE 292
Hey everyone! Welcome back to another edition of Furry Weekly, your weekly magazine focusing on the furry fandom! Thanks so much for joining us!
As always, we have our two usual announcements to get through, and we’re continuing to ask for your attention on the ‘Recruiting’ section. We still need a lot of help to get new issues done every week, so please take a look at the roles we’re looking to fill below and consider joining us, especially if you’re looking for a way to get involved in the fandom!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
RECRUITING
Here are the roles we currently have open at Furry Weekly:
- Art Corner Host
- Furry of the Week Host
- Art 101 Host
- Species Spotlight Host
- Radical Raffles Host
- Available Artists Host
- Front End Website Developer
- Editor
- Content Migrator
If you’d like to help out or if you want more info, please contact Yeshua, or Carkas. If you want a description of the roles above, visit this document! If you have any suggestions for other roles or things we could bring into Furry Weekly, please reach out as well. We’d love to hear your ideas! We still need lots of help in general, so please do consider joining us or sharing with other friends in the fandom if you can! We’d really appreciate it!
READER SURVEY
In addition to recruiting, we want to listen to what you, our readers, have to say about Furry Weekly! Our goal is to showcase a little bit of everything in the fandom, especially giving a small spotlight to all kinds of creators and folks in the community. So we want to know what you think about what we’re doing now as well as what you might want to see from a furry magazine. So whether you’re an avid follower of Furry Weekly, or maybe you just found us, we want to hear what you like, what you don’t like, and what you would like us to do in the future! That’s why we have a short survey on this topic. We would seriously appreciate it if you took just a few minutes to take it and give us your feedback! You can do this multiple times as well! The link is below!
Click here to take our reader survey!
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Announcements out of the way, let’s check out today’s content! As always, let us know on our social media what you enjoyed or if there’s something or someone you’d like to see in a future issue. We’re @FurryWeekly on both Twitter and Instagram!
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SEGMENT LINEUP
[❌] Furry of the Week
[✔] Animal of the Week
[❌] Art Corner
[❌] Writing Showcase
[❌] Art 101
[✔] Species Spotlight
[✔] Writing 101
[✔] Fursuit Focus
[❌] Photography 101
[✔] Fursuit Designing Tips
[✔] Radical Raffles
[✔] Available Artists
[❌] Character Interview
[✔] Convention Calendar
[✔] Furry Quote
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ANIMAL OF THE WEEK
Hello everyone! It’s Zed Shirogane and it’s another animal of the week segment!
Animal of the week is a segment where we highlight an animal that is really cool, cute, creepy, or just plain fascinating. There will be a coloring-page illustration for you all to print out and color in at home, as well as an adoptable character inspired by the animal of that week. The best part? All proceeds made by said adopt will be donated to conservation charities!
Whenever possible, we do symbolically adopt the animal, but only some animals have the privilege to have that as an option unfortunately; thus we collect extra funds to donate to many different species conservation charities, donate towards wildlife rehabilitation programs, or send funds to scientists so that they can research underappreciated animal species. Join us on this fun adventure, and I hope that you, too, will fall in love with these amazing animals!
Our next animal group are the Rorquals!
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales containing ten extant species in three genera. Rorquals take their name from French rorqual, which derives from the Norwegian word røyrkval; the first element røyr originated from the Old Norse name for this type of whale, reyðr, probably related to the Norse word for "red," and the second from the Norse word, hvalr, meaning "whale" in general.
All members of the family have a series of longitudinal folds of skin running from below the mouth back to the navel – except the sei whale and common minke whale, which have shorter grooves. These furrows allow the mouth to expand immensely when feeding. These "pleated throat grooves'' distinguish balaenopteridae from other whales. Most rorquals feed by gulping in water, and then pushing it out through the baleen plates with their tongue; the exception is the gray whale, which gulps in and filters large amounts of marine sediments from the seafloor.
This Week’s Species: Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
Characteristics
The blue whale's long and slender body can be various shades of grayish-blue dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath. They have a broad U-shaped head, thin, elongated flippers, a small sickle-shaped dorsal fin located close to the tail, and a large tail stock at the root of the wide and thin flukes. The blue whale is the largest animal known ever to have existed.
Fun Facts
Blue whales produce some of the loudest and lowest frequency vocalizations in the animal kingdom, and their inner ears appear well adapted for detecting low-frequency sounds. The fundamental frequency for blue whale vocalizations ranges from 8 to 25 Hz. Blue whale songs vary between populations.
Habitat
Four subspecies are recognized: B. m. musculus in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, B. m. intermedia in the Southern Ocean, B. m. brevicauda (the pygmy blue whale) in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, and B. m. indica in the Northern Indian Ocean. There is also a population in the waters off Chile that may constitute a fifth subspecies. They have a worldwide distribution, but are mostly absent from the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean, Okhotsk, and Bering Sea.
Diet
The blue whale's diet consists almost exclusively of krill. Blue whales capture krill through lunge feeding; they swim towards them at high speeds as they open their mouths up to 80 degrees. They may engulf 220 metric tons of water at one time. They squeeze the water out through their baleen plates with pressure from the throat pouch and tongue, and swallow the remaining krill. Blue whales have been recorded making 180 degree rolls during lunge-feeding, possibly allowing them to search the prey field and find the densest patches.
Life Cycle
Blue whales live around 80 to 90 years, or more. The blue whale is usually solitary, but can be found in pairs. When productivity is high enough, blue whales can be seen in gatherings of more than 50 individuals. Blue whales generally reach sexual maturity at 8 - 10 years. Pregnant females eat roughly four percent of their body weight daily, amounting to 60% of their overall body weight throughout summer foraging periods. Gestation may last 10 to 12 months with calves being 6 to 7 meters.
Conservation
The main threat to Blue Whales in the past was direct exploitation, which only became possible on a regular basis in the modern era using deck-mounted harpoon cannons. Blue Whales have been legally protected worldwide since 1966, although they continued to be caught illegally by former USSR fleets until 1972. The last recorded deliberate catches were off Spain in 1978.
Blue Whales in a calving ground off southern Sri Lanka appear to be especially subject to ship strikes, as indicated by both direct observations of strikes and strandings that exhibit blunt trauma and observations of living animals that appear to have injuries that prevent normal swimming. Nine deaths of Blue Whales plus some serious injuries were attributed to ship strikes on the west coast of North America during 2007-2013. This suggests that ship strikes represent a substantial addition to natural mortality.
The main food of Antarctic Blue Whales, Euphausia superba and E. crystallorophias, are predicted to decline during the 21st century due both to reduced ocean productivity associated with warming and to increasing ocean acidity that limits their shell-building.
Here are some links to articles about the conservation of blue whales:
Adopt
Our adopt this week is specifically an Arcane manokit, a new subspecies of manokit introduced in 2023. Manokits are an original species currently being owned by Crucis/Yoskavel and originally created by DubMutt. To learn more about the manokit species and its three major subspecies go to their official discord.
All funds from this adopt will go to animal conservation. The goal for this series is to save up to help fund the monitoring of local baleen whales with the Oceanic Society. Specifically, for two years monitoring of SAYU-1.004, known as Lily, who is a humpback whale that has been seen twice at the Farallon Islands off of San Francisco, California in the United States, and one year monitoring of HW-MN0502559, known as Alexis, who was first sighted in 2022 and was estimated to be born in 2021, meaning she is as of now only 3 years old. These two adoptions require a total of $160 and this adopt will be one of five total created to achieve this goal, making $150, with extra funds pooled together from previous AOTW adopts to cover the additional $10 cost. It will be available for $30 at Shirogane Studios.
Coloring Page
Enjoy this coloring page made by yours truly, for you! Feel free to print it out at home to color in. If you enjoy the design you can also purchase it on a multitude of products like shirts and stickers: links to these options can be found at Shirogane Studios.
Animal Ambassadors
Thank you to our Animal Ambassadors–our AOTW supporters–who have helped make the world a little bit better for animals. If you wish to support this project, or maybe just really like these character designs and want to get access to some exclusive adopts and bases, you can find our patreon for this passion project HERE.
References
Most of my information was derived from Wikipedia and supplemented from other websites such as the IUCN RedList.
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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
Hello readers, and welcome back to an exciting week of Species Spotlight! This is Danielle once again making a guest appearance for this segment. Sadly, Species Spotlight has been on hiatus since around issue 256, but we’ll try to bring it back gradually.
Before we put the spotlight on this week’s original species, I wish to let all of you know that we’re still looking to recruit more hosts for this segment. If you enjoy diving into species lore and/or find original species fascinating, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, or our HR, Carkas, if you’re interested in hosting Species Spotlight.
This week we will be traveling throughout the galaxy to find an alien species called Xero by NeonSlushie and ScrapTeeth!
Xeros – pronounced like ‘Zero’ – are a cute and fluffy species of alien experiments that are rebuilt from the species’ original DNA. They are combined with the DNA of other creatures from across the galaxy, including animals from Earth. There are several subspecies of Xero each with unique features and traits. If you like the alien experiments seen from Disney’s Lilo and Stitch, then you’ll enjoy these similarly inspired alien species.
Xeros are being rebuilt because the original species was doomed to extinction due to the planet's failing magnetosphere; its protective shield against solar winds and its atmosphere began to dissipate as its surface was bathed in intense solar radiation, obliterating all but the most hardy of its life.
This specific species, which used a complex system of genetic adaptations to survive the now hostile conditions, was deemed too unique to be lost, and a commission was formed to devise a way to save it. Eventually, it was decided that the ones that could be saved would be taken from the planet’s surface and revitalized if possible. The largest problem faced by the creatures was rapid cellular degradation from the intense radiation. Thus began one of the most revolutionary genetic projects so far undertaken: the X-1118A Experimental Rebuilt Organism initiative, or Project XERO for short.
Looking to learn more? Feel free to check out the lore page.
Xeros generally have thin, noodle-y bodies with large and almost chibi-like heads, as well as chunky limbs and paws. Their arms are much longer than their legs, which are very short. They can easily switch between standing on two legs or four, and they keep the same proportions and shape regardless of how they are standing. When standing on their hind legs, they stand with a plantigrade stance, and when standing on all four, they stand digitigrade with their heels raised. This helps keep their backs relatively straight.
The average Xero is about four feet tall (122 cm) when standing upright. Desert Xeros are the smallest, averaging about three feet tall (90 cm). Tundra Xeros are the largest at about five feet tall (152 cm). While many Xeros are slim, they can still come in other body types, such as chubby or muscular.
Xeros are very intelligent and resourceful with excellent senses. Their sense of smell is particularly strong; their large, open nostrils are packed with olfactory receptors, and they use their forked tongues in combination with the vomeronasal organ at the roof of their mouths to sense which direction a scent is coming from. They make exceptional trackers!
Xeros are incredibly adaptable creatures that come in a variety of subtypes to fit different habitats. They are able to withstand extreme environments low in oxygen and can survive in space or underwater without protective gear for a short amount of time. They can go without breathing for about ten minutes. That is amazing!
All Xeros have hands with three fingers and a thumb, whereas the feet only have three toes. They will never have more fingers or toes than this. Xeros also always have claws; their claws are very shiny and just slightly translucent. What’s more is how they are excellent climbers. Their paw pads are covered in microscopic setae which interact with surfaces on a molecular level, allowing them to stick to almost any surface. That is impressive!
Standard
Desert
These Xeros are specially made to thrive in hotter, drier climates, and their exclusive traits reflect this. They often have warm-toned color palettes that are lighter in coloration. It would be rare to see a mostly black or dark brown Desert Xero due to how they would absorb too much heat. They are the smallest of the Xero subspecies, averaging only three feet tall (90 cm).
They currently have two unique features that can only be found on this subtype:
- Desert ears: Desert Xeros can have larger than average ears to radiate heat. They can be any shape (pointy fennec-like, rounded jackrabbit-like, etc.). Size can vary a bit, but it is generally about 1.5 to 2x the height of the head.
- Desert tails: Desert Xeros can have thick, fat tails like a gecko to store fat and water. Size and shape can vary, but think of a thick leopard gecko-like tail or a big squishy tail reminiscent of a caterpillar or grub.
These traits do not have to be present on every single Desert Xero. They can have standard ears and a desert tail, desert ears with a standard tail, or both standard features but with a smaller stature.
Tundra
Tundra Xeros are specially made to thrive in cold, arctic conditions. They often have cool-toned color palettes or designs with a large amount of off-white markings. It would be rare to see a mostly dark-colored Tundra Xero. They are the largest of the subtypes, averaging about five feet tall (152 cm).
Tundra Xeros currently have two unique features that can only be found on this subtype:
Tundra ears: Tundra Xeros can have extremely fluffy ears. The fluff is so long that the tufts of fur inside cover most or all of the visible skin and hang outside the ears.
Tundra fur: Tundra Xeros can have extra fluffy fur. They are often shown with a super fluffy neck and chest area like a mane, but they can also be extra fluffy on the undersides of the limbs, the tail, sides of the face, etc.
These traits do not have to be present on every single Tundra Xero. They can have standard ears and tundra fur, tundra ears with regular fur, or both standard features but with a larger stature.
Marine
These Xeros are specially made to thrive in aquatic environments, and their exclusive traits reflect this. They are more amphibious than fully aquatic and do not have gills. Marine Xeros must breathe air; however, they can still walk perfectly fine on land. All Marine Xeros have webbed paws with short, sleek fur. They are less fluffy than the other subspecies.
They currently have two unique features that can only be found on this subtype:
Marine ears: Marine Xeros can have extra small ears or no visible ear flaps at all. This adaptation helps them be more streamlined underwater.
Marine fins: Marine Xeros can have fins of any sort on various parts of their bodies. Fins can include whale-like dorsal fins and flukes, shark or fish-like tails, or any other sort of webbed fin. Fins can be located on their backs, tails, backs of their limbs, or even in place of their ears.
These traits do not have to be present on every single Marine Xero. They can have standard ears and marine fins, marine ears with no fins at all, or both standard features but with sleek fur and webbed paws.
Hollow
Hollow Xeros are specially adapted to dark, subterranean environments such as caves, underground burrows, and especially dark habitats. Notable features include adapted eyes for navigating low-light conditions and highly sensitive ridged ears for superior hearing in such environments. In addition, Hollow Xeros feature slightly larger claws to enable efficient burrowing.
They currently have two unique features that can only be found on this subtype:
Hollow ears: Hollow Xeros can have ridged ears similar to a bat’s. These ears can have darker ridges or a gradient of colors within the different segments. These are the only kind of ear that can have gradients of different colors within them.
Hollow eyes: Hollow Xeros can have fully dark eyes with enlarged pupils. These eyes are dark and shiny with their eye color reflected along the bottom.
These traits do not have to be present on every single Hollow Xero. They can have standard ears and hollow eyes, hollow ears with regular eyes, or both standard features but with larger claws.
Jungle
Jungle Xeros are specially made to thrive in heavily forested environments, and their exclusive traits reflect this. In general, they’re a bit smaller and lighter than most Standard Xeros, with an average height of about 3.5 feet (106 cm). They also have extra-long sticky tongues which are perfect for lapping up their favorite treat: fresh flower nectar.
They currently have two unique features that can only be found on this subtype:
Jungle camouflage: Jungle Xeros can be mixotrophs; that is, they can grow plant structures to photosynthesize. This can include things such as leaves and flowers which can be located anywhere on the Xero’s body. This also helps them blend in with their leafy surroundings.
Jungle patagia: Jungle Xeros can have patagia, which are loose flaps of skin connecting from each wrist to hip. These patagia allow the Xeros to glide short distances such as from tree to tree and can slow their fall like a parachute. Much like the patagia of a flying squirrel, they are extended with the aid of specialized wrist bones. The loose skin can fold up against the body when not in use.
These traits do not have to be present on every single Jungle Xero. They can have just one or the other or not have either and just have the longer tongue.
Prototype
Prototypes are the first Xeros that were created, and as such, many of them feature unusual glitches or traits not found in later Xeros.
Savannah
Savannah Xeros are specially adapted to run fast in their native grasslands and protect themselves from the elements of that environment. Notable features include a mane to protect their backs from UV damage caused by the hot sun and hooves that help them navigate the rocky hills and sweeping stretches of land. In addition, Savannah Xeros feature longer limbs to allow them to run faster and see over tall grass easier.
They currently have two unique features that can only be found on this subtype:
Savannah mane: A long fluffy mane that can cover part or all of a Xero’s back that can also go onto their tail. The primary purpose of the mane is to protect the Xero’s back from UV damage from the sun since there is not a lot of shade on the open grasslands this trait evolved on. Plus, it also serves as a fashion statement.
Savannah hooves: An adaptation for moving swiftly on wide-open grasslands. These hooves are rounded, modified claws whose purpose is to protect the Xeros’ feet from rocks and difficult terrain while running. Since these hooves can see some extra wear and tear, it is recommended to clean them out daily.
These traits do not have to be present on every single Savannah Xero. Every Savannah Xero, however, must have the exclusive subtype trait of long limbs.
A Xero’s fur can be nearly any color of the rainbow; however, their primary fur cannot be white or off-white. Markings and color placement can vary greatly, but they always feature some sort of countershading: lighter colors on the underside. Pure white or off-white primary fur, solid body colors (no countershading) or reverse countershading (darker colors on underside) are rare.
A Xero’s flesh will always match in color, so paw pads, tongue, inside the ears, pouch, etc will always be the same color. Nostrils and inner mouth match as well, but they can be a darker shade. Eye color does not have to match. Flesh can be any color, but they must be solid in tone and not too saturated. Speckled flesh, gradients, mismatched colors, or vivid neon colors are rare.
Xeros can display a myriad of traits of varying rarity, such as antennae, horns, bioluminescence, fur mutations, and much more. Some traits are even exclusive to the different subspecies of Xero. You can learn more about the different traits Xeros can have here.
Xeros are a closed species, which sadly means that they can only be made by NeonSlushie, ScrapTeeth, or chosen guest artists. However, there are a few ways to get a make your own (MYO) slot as well as for free by participating in the community.
If you are interested in adopting your own Xero someday, it is recommended to make an account on the Xero website. Any characters you obtain will be attached to your account, and you will eventually be able to play games, participate in group activities, earn currency, items, and more.
Ready to embark on a journey through the galaxy with NeonSlushie’s Xero species? Feel free to join the Discord server to immerse yourself in the vibrant universe and to stay up-to-date with events, official sales, and more. The Project Xero community prides itself in being extremely welcoming to new 18+ members. You can also check out the species accounts on Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter/X.
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Thank you for tuning in to this week of Species Spotlight! I hope you enjoyed learning about the Xeros today.
There are plenty of creative original species out there, and we’ll be sure to hunt them down. If you’d like to recommend any open or closed original species to us, please feel free to reach out to me on any of my platforms. As Coyote Peterson from Brave Wilderness says, stay wild, and we’ll see you on the next species adventure!
Disclaimer
All art credit of the Xero species belongs to NeonSlushie and ScrapTeeth.
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WRITING 101
Five trips… ten trips… twenty trips? So many walks in and out of the front door, and what felt like twenty times more up and down the stairs. Some boxes are staged in the foyer while others go straight downstairs. The rental truck slowly empties. The blustery March winds had picked up, but by this time in the mid-afternoon, everything is safely inside.
A tall and lean snake stands amongst the boxes, admiring his work thus far. If he could sweat, then it would certainly have rolled down his pinkish-red scales by now. But there’s little time to dilly-dally; this snake was obligated to return the rental truck within just a few hours, and his deadline rapidly approaches.
“Still got a little time, though,” mumbles Phoenix, verbally supplanting his own thoughts.
So he keeps working. All of the boxes upstairs come down, as do any loose belongings that didn’t quite make it into secure packaging. For the first time today, he has a chance to survey the basement apartment. It’s finished with nicely painted walls and laminate wood floors, and there’s plenty of space for his own stuff. There’s even a bathroom, a washer and dryer, and a separate room for his bed. It’s hard to believe that someone lived here just a few days ago… but, for what it was worth, the last tenant did an excellent job cleaning up after himself.
Phoenix eases himself onto one of the bigger, sturdier boxes. He certainly deserves to take a break, what with moving all of his furniture (and his own queen-size mattress) down that narrow, angled staircase. He unzips his sweater to release some built-up heat under his collar and pulls out his phone, letting his tense hood ease and flop down to his shoulders. It feels so nice to just relax his body....
But his mind wouldn’t rest. He quickly finds himself browsing his online documents, a lot of which are newly acquired. Now that Phoenix contributes to Furry Weekly’s Writing 101, he has access to a treasure trove of information from the previous host. There’s hardly a missing segment!
Phoenix shrugs to himself. He may as well get a start on his upcoming submission while he has the time....
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Hello friends, and welcome to Furry Weekly’s Writing 101! I’m Bryce Griffin, here to get all you writers out there the inside scoop on literature tips and tricks. Let’s get started!
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Avoiding the Corner
We have previously touched on the idea of writing yourself into a corner several times before, but we never specifically focused on the topic. This changes today! We’ll take a look at exactly what happens when writing yourself into a corner. We’ll also cover how to avoid those corners, saving you the heartache of finding yourself there in the first place.
Let’s break this down a little. The metaphor “to be backed into a corner” means that your options of escape have been eliminated. This is obviously a problem in real life—if you’re trapped in a corner, you can’t turn around and run, nor can you try to escape by running towards the threat that put you in the corner in the first place. In literature, this means that a character has been stripped of all reasonable escape options, and the author did not plan for this moment to provide a reasonable escape.
Why is this important to know? The most common contributing factor to something like this is a lack of foresight. It’s okay to write without an outline to guide the story, and many authors go off-script as new and better ideas supersede their original concepts, but it does become much easier to accidentally craft a corner. It usually means that the character needs some sort of tool, technique, or key that simply doesn’t exist, and the issue often becomes apparent when it’s too late.
The easiest solution to this issue is to avoid it in the first place. If you know that there will be a major confrontation or sticky situation for your character, then you need to plan for their extraction before you even think about how they get into trouble in the first place. It’s far more gracious to provide a logical means of escape, premeditated by yourself, instead of pulling a magic solution out of your ass.
If, for some reason, you’ve gone too far with the writing (maybe there are some exceptional character interactions and buildups that you can’t bear to lose), then you might try planting that all-important key earlier in the story. This works best if it is mentioned at least a few times beforehand. It could be something that previously isn’t used to its full potential, or is inaccessible until it is well and truly needed. This is tricky to get right and thus feel believable, but it is certainly achievable.
Of course, nuance and exceptions exist that aren’t covered above. But the following can apply to many examples of writing yourself into a corner: Planning ahead is always the best way to avoid trapping yourself!
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Want me to take a look at your work? Got a general question for Writing 101? Just shoot me a message on Discord! I’ll be happy to answer any writing questions or even critique your work.
Thanks for joining me in Furry Weekly’s Writing 101. I hope you enjoy the rest of the magazine!
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Rather than just get a start, Phoenix goes the whole nine yards. The entire segment is complete. So, with a small smile on his lips, he submits his work. One less thing to worry about. Now, about these boxes....
He stands with a grunt. Perhaps he could start small and work his way towards unpacking his larger, heavier belongings. That might save him from using too much energy too quickly. He grabs a box of supplies, enters the bathroom, and kneels down to open the sink cabinet.
The rush of air whisks something dark out of the cabinet and onto the bathroom floor. Phoenix thinks it’s a trick of the light at first, but it’s soon clear that whatever just escaped the cabinet is indeed real. A glossy, reddish-brown feather, long and sturdy in construction, lays in the light’s full glare. It looks quite stark against the white stone floor.
He gingerly picks it up. His mind quickly jumps to the previous tenant. He had never seen the guy—Phoenix only heard that he needed to break his lease and quickly move out because of work. But the feather makes Phoenix smile once more.
“Huh.... That’s interesting.”
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FURSUIT FOCUS
Hey everyone! Yeshua here yet again to bring you the Fursuit Focus segment! Time to have a look at today’s fluffy individual!
This time we’ve got a neat doggo in Peanut! Stick around to meet her!
Look at this gal! She looks so friendly! Looking at Peanut’s design, it’s pretty straightforward! As a spaniel, she’s got soft, long fur, which includes the fur on the iconic long ears! White and brown are common colors for a spaniel, and peanut’s got both of them! This is a great example of a character that you might think of when you say big, fluffy cartoon animal, and of course the semi-toony style of the suit helps with that a lot! If the style seems familiar, that’s because the suit was made by Lemonbrat! No doubt it’s a simple, but fun and adorable character! So what does this gal get up to?
Peanut is the definition of a fursuiter who just has fun and lets loose! You can just tell from browsing her social media that she loves getting into any and every sort of shenanigans! Sometimes you’ll find her outdoors, whether it’s in public, in a backyard, or maybe at the pool. Other times, she’s indoors trying new outfits, recording silly videos, or even just striking her best pose. Peanut also goes to cons pretty often, so every once in a while you’ll see her getting silly at the con grounds and with other fursuiters! Regardless of where she is or what she’s doing, you can just tell Peanut is having a blast while fursuiting; she takes full advantage of her environment regardless of how interesting it may be, which makes it such a joy to see when she posts something!
Something else I think is really cool about what Peanut does is the creativity of some of her photos! Part of that does come from her environment. Sometimes you’ll see her in what may seem like a studio decorated in different ways. Throughout the early months of 2024, Peanut taken a ton of photos and recorded videos in a bunch of different settings with lots of props! I won’t write about all of it here but you should definitely check it all out! One time she was in a ball pit with some candy canes, another time she had a bit of trouble getting out of a bunch of ‘popcorn kernels’, and much more! As I said before, Peanut does great in using her environment while she fursuits, and it’s very fun seeing what she does in these sort of decorated settings!
I mentioned before that you can just tell how much fun Peanut has while fursuiting, but she also expresses that sentiment directly: “I honestly love being a fursuiter! It’s such a fun experience being able to dress up as a character, interact as the character, and overall become the character!” Peanut has been posting fursuit content with her suit since December 2021, so it’s not hard to see that she means it when she says she enjoys it!
Having fursuited for quite a bit of time now, Peanut says it does take a bit of time to get used to it, and even describes it as a sport in a way because there are lots of different environments you could encounter, and it can be hard to keep up your energy after the first couple of hours; Peanut specifically mentions the first two hours, but for some even that’s too much! However, she does recognize that everyone has their limit and she urges fursuiters to not push themselves so they don’t overheat. Peanut also emphasizes the very important point of keeping yourself hydrated while fursuiting: “Staying hydrated is KEY, I actually bring super long straws to almost every event I know I’ll suit at for more than two hours, so I can drink water and have it reach my mouth through my suit on small breaks.”
All in all, Peanut is a cheery, upbeat gal who will make any fursuiting experience fun! At the end of the day, she’s just after a good time any time she suits up, and I think that just naturally helps her have fun. Much like a lot of other fursuiters, she says fursuiting also helps her express herself better as well as be more confident in herself! Peanut has been fursuiting for quite a while as I mentioned earlier, but I don’t think she’s stopping anytime soon: “I would not trade fursuiting for the world.”
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That’s gonna do it for today’s segment! Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed what you saw from Peanut, give her a follow on her socials! You won’t regret it, especially if you enjoy cute fursuiters doing a bunch of shenanigans!
We’re always looking for other fursuiters to feature! If you want to show up here, use the tags #furryweekly and #fursuitfocus when you post your fursuit photos and videos to social media! You can also reach out to me or our usual host, tahlmorra and tell us you want to be featured, or you can also suggest your friends or favorite fursuiter!
Thanks again for joining me! I’m Yeshua, and I hope to see you all next time. Until then, take care!
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FURSUIT DESIGNING TIPS
Hi everyone, Olivier the space goat here with the segment on fursuit making and fursuiting in general.
We’re continuing our small segway away from specific fursuit making tips this week. Today we’ll be covering…
Fursuiting with Disabilities
Fursuiting can bring a ton of joy to those around you as well as to yourself! But I know like no other how scary it can be to fursuit as someone with a disability. For today's segment I have a co-writer! So say hello to @blazeinasuit who is blind in his right eye.
Blaze’s fursuit head has the right eye blinded out from the inside so the harsh light doesn't overexpose him. Aside from the need for a handler because of the very limited vision, and the fact no one else can borrow his fursuit head, Blaze sees no problem suiting, and the suit doesn't look different from anyone else’s point of view!
I myself have chronic pain in my hands, so high fiving is a lil problematic especially as people don't always keep in mind that a strong high five can be troublesome – especially kids. I try to dodge the high five by offering a box, which kids don't respond to as aggressively!
Still, I noticed the best way to fursuit as a disabled person is either have a handler to explain, or have another way to explain your disability with the audience – like the printable signifiers shown below you can hang on your lanyard. You can also find alternatives, like a box instead of a high five, being mindful of your body in poses, or sitting down instead of crouching for photos.
If you want a printable like the one above, please click here!
They were made with the help of Dozu Doggy so check her out!
There are two on one page so you can sandwich them between your laminating paper, that way they don't twist on you. If you print these out, please post with the tag #furryweekly or tag Furry Weekly in your posts. We would absolutely love to see you using them!
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Next time we’re back to making – specifically fursuit feet paws! I hope today’s segment was useful for you all.
Till then, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me through Instagram or join my Discord Server!
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RADICAL RAFFLES
Hello, everyone! Danielle here once again, and I’m here to bring you some fun raffles to potentially participate in.
Before we get into the raffles, I wish to remind all of you that we’re looking to recruit more hosts for this segment. If you enjoy coming across raffles, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, or our HR, Carkas, if you’re interested in hosting Radical Raffles.
Feel free to stick around because we have eight raffles for you this week! Let’s take a look at them.
First, we have a headshot raffle by Crispies!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Comment a reference of your character.
-Tag at least one friend.
Prize:
-Headshot (two winners)
Deadline:
-There is no specified date, but Crispies mentioned that the raffle will end around the end of March. There’s lots of time left to enter!
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Celebrate with a birthday raffle by King!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Optional: Comment a safe for work (SFW) reference.
Prize:
-Full body
-If King reaches 1k followers, there will be an extra winner!
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on King’s birthday, which is April 5th at 10 pm EST. There’s lots of time left to enter! Feel free to wish King a happy early birthday as well.
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Celebrate with a 3k art raffle by Lunar!
How to Enter:
-Follow and repost.
-Comment a SFW reference.
Prize:
-Shaded half-body and symmetrical icon
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 22nd. There’s about a week left to enter!
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Up next, we have an art raffle by Maney Manex!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Optional: Comment your favorite snack.
Prize:
-1st place: complex reference sheet
-2nd and 3rd place: chibi
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 24th. There’s a little over a week left to enter!
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Next up, we have an art raffle by Hellcatold!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and repost.
-Optional: Comment your character.
Prize:
-Waist-up
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on April 11th. There’s lots of time left to enter!
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Become a sticker collector with a sticker raffle by Kit Arcus!
How to Enter:
-Follow and repost.
-Optional: Tag a friend.
Prize:
-Winner’s choice of sticker (Kit Arcus’s logo sticker will be included)
-United States shipping is free; if the winner is outside the U.S, they will have to pay for shipping.
-If Kit Arcus reaches 150 followers, there will be a second prize!
Deadline:
-Originally, the raffle was going to end on March 10th, but it has been extended to March 20th. There’s a few days left to enter!
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Up next, we have a giveaway by PartyBugCreations!
How to Enter:
-Follow and repost. New followers are welcome!
-Tag a friend, and comment a SFW reference.
Prize:
-Headshot (three winners)
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 25th. There’s a little over a week left to enter!
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Last but certainly not least, we have an animation raffle by Yellow K9!
How to Enter:
-Follow and repost.
Prize:
-Animation your character here (YCH) of the winner’s choice
-Because of two milestones being reached, there will now be two additional winners!
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on April 1st. There’s lots of time left to enter!
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Those are all the raffles I have for you this week. There's always more out there, and we'll make sure to find them and bring them to you every week!
Make sure you use the tags #RadicalRaffles and #FurryWeekly so we can find your raffle more easily.
Thank you for taking a look at this week’s raffles. Stay tuned because more radical raffles are coming your way!
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AVAILABLE ARTISTS
Hey, all! It's Rave, your local plug to all things furry art, and I’m here with Danielle!
Before we get started, we’re looking to recruit more hosts for this segment. If you’re a connoisseur of furry art, then this might be for you! Feel free to message our boss, Yeshua, or our HR, Carkas, if you’re interested in hosting Available Artists.
This week we have an amazing group of artists from all across Instagram and Twitter/X!
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First up, we have Catbatty! Hannah is a 19-year-old commission-based artist. They work with anything from super bright and vibrant colors utilizing their talent to make art that seems to glow. All their pieces seem to glow and shimmer as you look and it really makes their art pop off the screen at you. You can get in contact with Hannah by visiting their Carrd!
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Next on the list is Glitteryfoxy. Lea has paintings on their commission site, along with digital arts. They work on so many different species and have examples galore on their Instagram. Some of the most notable features from my perspective is their water themed art. They have put out a lot of water themes in their work and they do such an amazing job, from beach themed color palettes, to more deep water, it all looks absolutely stunning. Make sure to check them out on Instagram and check their Carrd for commissions.
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Furry_chikorita is next. Floof is an artist that has a great eye on details. They have a great eye for exact details and breathes life into every piece of art they make. They also make dice which is an insanely cool hobby. Check them out on Instagram and check out their Linktree for even more sites they’re on.
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Hello, everyone! This is Danielle, and I’m here to give you a couple of bonus artists this week.
Up next, we have Crow, a full-time illustrator and small business owner who specializes in neat anthro-based characters. The prices reflect difficulty and time put into each piece, but they are well worth it. Crow offers profile icons, chest-up convention badges, artistic liberty phone screen art, and more as commission options.
You can find Crow’s commission prices, terms of service, and links to their other social media on their Carrd. For any business inquiries, feel free to reach out to Crow on Telegram, any social media, or through email.
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Last but certainly not least, we have Hellcatold, an artist who specializes in cute furry and anime-based characters. They offer portraits, chibis, and more as commission options on their Ko-fi. Feel free to request a commission there and/or if you have any questions.
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That is all for this edition of Available Artists.
We’re always on the lookout for amazing artists to put in the spotlight. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #AvailableArtists and #FurryWeekly so we can find you. Feel free to message me or Danielle if you have any artists with open commissions you’d like us to feature.
Thank you for reading and checking out these amazing artists. Keep being creative!
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CONVENTION CALENDAR
Hello again, readers! I’m Shetani, your Convention Calendar segment host for this issue. March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, or so the saying goes, but no matter what kind of critter you are, you’ll find plenty of fun opportunities to gather with other furries this month. Let’s hear about March’s furry conventions and events happening online, around the world, and in your neck of the woods!
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Gdakon 2024: A Space Odyssey blasts off from Wednesday February 28 - Sunday March 3 at the Novotel Gdańsk Marina Hotel in Gdańsk, Poland! This year brings a lot of firsts, including a dance competition, talent show, and door sign contest. Gdakon will take a break from the fursuit photoshoot, providing a photo backdrop and props instead, so you can shoot your own pics to your heart’s content! While at Gdakon, keep an eye out for representatives from their charity Help4herps, a reptile shelter in Gdansk, and donate to assist them in continuing their great work. Gdakon requires a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook
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VancouFur returns to the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada from Thursday March 7 - Sunday March 10 for their annual convention. Steampunk aficionados, lace your corsets and dust off those monocles, for this year’s theme of Claws and Clockwork! VancouFur offers a lot of unique programming beyond the typical furry convention staples, like their Cutie Pageant, ice cream social, murder mystery, fursuiter maid cafe, and convention-wide scavenger hunt. Fursuiter, videographer, and artist Zee the Raccoon is VF 2024’s Guest of Honor, and the Community Spotlight is Che, an artist, illustrator, and colorist whose volunteer career at VF dates back to 2014. Qmunity, a BC-based non-profit that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives, returns as the charity of choice. This year, charity auction bidding is digital, so be sure to register for that if you’d like the chance to help out a good cause and walk away with some quality prizes!
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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The Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, USA will welcome back Fur the ‘More attendees from Friday March 8 - Sunday March 10. The time travel theme for the con continues from last year with Arthurian Legends, focusing on the medieval period. The con supports the Frederick Center of Maryland, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, connecting, and educating the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in Central Maryland, as its charity. This year’s Guest of Honor is HollyAnn, a longtime furry artist and active illuminator in the Society for Creative Anachronism. Panels and meetups on a variety of topics, from fursuit making to writing and everything in between, are scheduled, so don’t forget to look at the Fur the ‘More website and find out what’s in store. Fur the ‘More requires face masks and proof of initial COVID-19 vaccination plus at least one booster.
Website | Twitter | Mastodon | Facebook
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Texas Furry Fiesta hops back to the Sheraton Dallas in Dallas, Texas, USA between Thursday March 14 - Sunday March 17. While not explicitly described in print materials, the con’s theme is titled Singularity Point, seemingly channeling 1980s retro vibes. TFF’s charity of choice is The Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE), which provides a safe, permanent, and loving home to big cats and other animals in need. TFF will honor three furry guests in 2024: vaccine researcher Chise, artist Lady Rain, and the multitalented Failyn (Blackcheetah). The schedule is still in the works, but attendees can expect panels, dealer’s den and artist alley, a fursuit dance competition, DJs, live performances, and an after dark rodeo. Yeehaw!
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook
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Whodunit at Gateway Furmeet 2024? Investigate the scene of the crime - the Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, USA - and discover the culprit of the Murder Mystery Party! The con will take place Friday March 15 - Sunday March 17, with a jam-packed weekend of events and entertainment planned. A charity auction will be held to raise money for Saint Louis Pet Rescue, a nonprofit group rescuing animals from challenging situations to provide love, care, and a second chance at life. The Guest of Honor is MattsyKun, an artist specializing in merchandise, illustration, and memes. Be sure to keep an eye on the con’s socials for the announcement of their 2024 event schedule!
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon
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Make a splash at Furnal Equinox from Friday March 15 - Sunday March 17, and prepare to dive into 3 days of fun at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, Ontario, Canada! If you couldn’t already tell, the con’s theme this year is Under the Sea, and attendees will certainly have a whale of a time. FE has partnered with Procyon Wildlife Rehab and Education Centre this time around, raising donations through a charity auction and other events to help out their mission of rescuing, rehabilitating and safely releasing wild animals in need. This year marks FE’s first ever dance competition, the Pas Le Choix de Danser, so come out and show your support to all the talented dancers! The events schedule is overflowing with even more programming, from meet-n-greets to panels to games, and dances every night of the con. While browsing through, be sure to take note of your opportunities to meet the Guests of Honor: talented DJ Avian Invasion, celebrated fursuit maker Eve of SewingStuffs Fursuits, and KikiDoodle, the artist and designer who brought Purrmaids to life!
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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It’s time for Thaitails, everyone! School is back in session for “Thaitails 2024: Unifursity” from Saturday March 23 - Sunday March 24. A new venue, the Grand Richmond Hotel in Nonthaburi, Thailand, will play host to the scholastic shenanigans this year. Panels, a Dealer’s Den, live DJs, sports games, a furry cafe, and a stage show are planned. Thaitails has selected as its Guest of Honor local 2D animator Patt (Pattkrapow), who’s worked on Cuphead and the Netflix film Klaus, and will host a talk at the con. Keep an eye on Thaitails’s official channels for registration and policy info as it becomes available.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Telegram
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Get ready for another Pawske Party on Friday March 29 at the Melahuset in Oslo, Norway! This furry dance party is known for its awesome DJ, but that’s not all! A dealer’s den, furwalk, and stroll through the old industrial side of Oslo await the adventurous. For those who want to kick off the fun even earlier, a pre-party bowling meet has been arranged for the night before Pawske Party, and if you want to keep the fun going a little longer, there’s a fursuit-friendly dead dog brunch the morning after as well. Attendees must be 18 years old and show valid photo ID in order to register.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook
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After a great first year, Las Vegas Fur Con is ready and raring to return to the Alexis Park All-Suite Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Friday March 29 - Sunday March 31 are this year’s dates. If you think you’re S.P.E.C.I.A.L., maybe you can survive the weekend of the “Nuclear A-paw-calypse!” Surpassing last year’s guest roster, LVFC is rolling out the (hopefully not glowing) red carpet for five total Guests of Honor as follows: dancer, writer, DJ, and Twitch streamer Rahne / DJ Addix, artist RoSphix, game show host Tokens Arcade, AV professional Oddy, and video producer/gamer BardicRJ. LVFC will partner yet again with the charity Las Vegas Trans Pride, an organization which aids the trans* community of Las Vegas. Programming includes live performances by multiple furry music artists, an adults-only night market and rooftop party, dealer’s den and artist alley, panels, and meetups. Attendees must be at least 21 years of age, vaccinated against COVID-19 with a primary series or one booster shot, and wear a face mask while in convention space.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon
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And finally, Fauntastic will hold its fourth event Friday March 29 - Tuesday April 2. Point your GPS to a new location, Novotel Lyon Bron Eurexpo in Lyon, France! The theme, Greetings from Camp Critters, aims to delight fans of cryptids and the paranormal. Planned events include a dance competition, IT furs presentations, Me Too panel, and others, in addition to the standard furry con activities like a dealer’s den, group photos, gaming, karaoke, and dances. Programming is hosted in French and English, with Fauntastic providing translation services for attendees who need them. A unique aspect of Fauntastic is their specially-marked sticker areas on which furries can feel free to self-express by writing, drawing, and of course sticking surfaces to their hearts’ content! If you want to attend Fauntastic, keep in mind that you must be over 18 years old.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook
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This month’s calendar graphic by Sunni shows her and cover artist Mama Eevee all packed up and ready to go to Texas Furry Fiesta! Make sure to say hello if you run into either (or both!) of them at the con!
March means it’s time for the vernal equinox, heralding the coming of spring. We often associate springtime with beginnings, fresh starts, and turning over a new leaf. This is a great time to make new friends and get connected with your local furry community by helping out at a physical or online furry event. Remember to keep up-to-date on vaxx boosters and wear your face mask when meeting up with any furs in person.
Got questions or suggestions for Convention Calendar? Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter and the Fediverse, or hit me up at any of the other platforms linked on my website. If there’s an upcoming con you want to ensure we cover here on Furry Weekly, don’t hesitate to let me know. Have fun and stay safe out there!
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FURRY QUOTE
Hello and happy Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone! This is Danielle coming back to enlighten your day with an inspiring quote. Saint Patrick’s Day is here! In celebration of this holiday, we’ll be delving into a quote themed around it. Let’s take a look.
“Wishing you a pot o’ gold and all the joy your heart can hold.”
Saint Patrick’s Day is a holiday recognized for Saint Patrick, a man who escaped slavery and was known as a saint to Irish culture. Perhaps the most well-known legend of Saint Patrick is that he explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover: the shamrock. Besides shamrocks, legends say that each leaf on a clover represents different meanings. The first is for hope, the second for faith, and the third for love. If you were lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover, the fourth leaf would represent luck. That is quite special!
During this holiday, it is a time to recognize one’s good fortune and to be grateful for what you have, no matter how big or small. There’s another well-known saying that sticks with me, and that is this: for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Find your treasure, that pot of gold, and your heart will be filled with joy.
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This concludes this week’s Furry Quote. I hope it brought some happiness to your day.
If you have a topic you’d like to have covered or a quote you’d like to have shared, feel free to reach out to the main host of Furry Quote: Multifurse.
Thank you for reading this far, and we’ll see you all again next time!
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That is all for today! Thank you for reading! If you like Furry Weekly, share it with your friends or let us know by contacting us on our social media linked below! We always appreciate your support!
Remember, to submit your content to us, make a post with the tag #FurryWeekly and the tag of the segment you would like to be featured in (e.g. #ArtCorner, #WritingShowcase). These tags work regardless of what platform you're on, whether it’s Instagram, Twitter, Amino, or DeviantArt. These are the platforms we currently look at for user-submitted content!
Once again, thank you for reading and submitting content! We will see you next time!
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