09: SKINK UNLOCKED! New Goal! Final Showdown Vote! Backer Game! And More to Come!
8 months ago
– Mon, Apr 01, 2024 at 06:24:24 PM
We did it again: the Blue-Tongued Skink is now unlocked!
Thanks to your generous support, the bluey now joins 7 other pets as options that will be available when you select your rewards post-campaign! That means it's time for a new stretch goal to open, and this one was a really close race. In fact, it came down to ONE VOTE! Presenting your next stretch goal...
You voted and you NARROWLY decided to unlock the Pacman Frog!
The Pacman Frog will unlock at the $2500 mark, which is not too far away already! You know what to do:
share the campaign to your friends and followers and we can make it happen!
And THAT means it's time for the
FINAL SHOWDOWN POLL: it all comes down to
the Orchid Mantis vs the Giant African Millipede. The poll is open now until we unlock the Pacman Frog!
Who's next? Who's last? Vote now!
Looking ahead: more stretch goals
With 17 days left in the campaign and only 3 pets left to unlock, there's plenty of time to go beyond the original collection of designs. As I mentioned in the last update, my current plan is to design some colorways — alternate versions — of the existing pins! I'd love to make sure these are something you'd like to have, so keep letting me know in the comments what you think would make an awesome colorway for any or all of these pins!
Or is there something else you'd like to see? New stickers, or new pets altogether? Let me know what your hearts desire! :D
Spookily Yours,
Tom
Backers, keep reading: there's more for you below!
08: ISOPOD UNLOCKED! New Poll!
8 months ago
– Sat, Mar 30, 2024 at 05:12:07 PM
This email is actually 6 hours late because I was running on 2 hours of sleep and needed some shut-eye, and also I didn't want to inundate y'all. But I'm awake again and excited to announce that as of just 3 hours after the stretch goal was announced, the Rubber Ducky Isopod is unlocked! 🎉
This pin will be available for anyone who pledged for 1+ pins to select in the post-campaign reward survey. As with all the other unlocked pins, you'll also be able to add more if you decide after the fact that you want more pins than you pledged for!
You voted, and you decided to unlock the Blue-Tongued Skink!
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In a surprise voting surge, the Blue-Tongued Skin took the lead in the last poll and crossed the finish line with 50% of the vote! Native to Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia, "blue-tongued skink" refers to any skink of the genus
Tiliqua rather than to a single species. Due to Australia's conservation laws forbidding the export of their native reptiles, almost all "blueys," as the Aussies call them, in the pet trade outside of that country are captive-bred and most are Northern blue-tongued skinks,
Tiliqua scincoides intermedia. However, for reasons I don't recall since I drew this design a long time ago, this pin actually represents the
Centralian blue-tongued skink (
Tiliqua multifasciata). 😅
I do not own one of these, but my best friends have one by name of Scaledog!
New poll is open!
We're coming down to the wire: once the bluey is unlocked, there are
only 3 more to go! Cast your vote with the banner below or by clicking the View Poll link!
What comes next?
There are still 19 days left to unlock all 11 pets and we're doing so at a good clip! If we do that, though, what's next? Well I have a plan:
colorway stretch goals!What is a colorway?
A colorway, in pin terms, is an alternate version of an existing pin design that keeps the same metal outline but changes the colors used. That means that we could have a white rat, a mojave GHI ball python, a Thai rainbow millipede, an albino blue-tongued skink, a matcha Pacman frog...the possibilities are endless!
If this is something you'd like to see,
let me know in the comments — and keep
sharing this campaign with your friends and followers who might like this too!
Get your own custom colorway!
If this idea sounds great to you and you've got something specific in mind, there are still 3 slots open for the
Pinify My Pet: Custom Colorway pledge level! This pledge level allows you to choose your own colorway (within some practical limitations), whether it's a real color/pattern morph or something fantastical. Consider upgrading your pledge while there are still slots left!
Another achievement on the horizon...
In case you didn't see, we're coming up on a community milestone, and there's an achievement goal for it: once we reach 100 backers, EVERYONE who pledges for a physical reward will get a FREE glow-in-the-dark sticker!
You can track this achievement here!
One last thing...for backers only! 👇
07: HOGNOSE UNLOCKED! Next Poll! Early Bird Ending Soon!
8 months ago
– Sat, Mar 30, 2024 at 08:12:13 AM
Drama noodle lovers rejoice:
the Plains hognose is unlocked!! I'm continually amazed by y'all's support. CREEPY CUTIES is on track to be my most successful crowdfunder ever, and it's all because of you!
The hognose pin will be 1.5" across with rose gold metal, hard enamel fill, screenprinted details, comfy silicone clutches, and a back stamp of authenticity. Everyone who pledges for 1+ pins will be able to select this one in the post-campaign reward survey! Now let's take a look at our latest poll winner...
You voted, and you decided to unlock the Rubber Ducky Isopod next!
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Isopods are another oft-overlooked pet. They've long been prized as cleanup crew for bioactive vivariums and feeders for larger animals, but they're finally beginning to grow in popularity in their own right as more and more people discover the hidden charm of the humble and variable pillbug. A rare type of
Cubaris sp. isopod native to Thailand, the rubber ducky isopod was only just discovered in 2017, and soon took the internet (or at least certain corners of it) by storm for their striking resemblance to...well, a rubber duck! These in-demand arthropods command a relatively high price because they breed slowly and are still fairly rare. The
Cubaris genus has a beautiful variety of other types worth checking out as well!
If you're thinking, well, does he have THESE too, the answer is no. However, I
do have
Cubaris isopods: Cappuccinos!
Not many, but a little bitty colony I hope to grow enough to start a second nano tank. :3
Voting time again!
These polls don't stay open for long, huh? Be sure to get your vote in ASAP so you don't miss your chance! Use the View Poll link to go do so. :D
And of course, you can help both in the voting and the unlocking by sharing this campaign with your friends and followers! Teamwork makes the dream work ✨
Early Bird specials end VERY SOON!!!
The Early Bird deals will only be around until 12:00 PM Central TODAY (that's less than 2 hours from now!), so if you've been thinking about increasing your pledge level for more pins, now is the time to do so at a discount! Remember too that if you pledge for 3+ pins, you'll get a glow-in-the-dark mini pin FREE!
Backers, did you see the last update?
EXCLUSIVELY for backers, there's
a guessing game going on in update 6! Check it out on the Community page to play along! The second round will start in 2 more days. :3
That's all for now. Thank you all so much!!
Spookily Yours,
Tom
Update 06: MBK Unlocked, New Poll, New Game!
8 months ago
– Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 05:44:43 PM
We did it again!! The Mexican Black Kingsnake is now unlocked and will be available in the Pledge Manager survey after the campaign!
In addition to this most excellent news, I also have the pleasure of introducing our next stretch goal, AND for backers only there's a game to play! First up...
You voted, and you decided to unlock the Plains Hognose Snake!
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Formerly known as the western hognose snake and still known as
Heterodon nasicus, the Plains hognose is another internet sensation. Even many people who are afraid of snakes in general can't help but find themselves charmed by their shovel faces, wide-set eyes, adorkable concertina locomotion, and the fact that, unless they mistake you for food, they just straight up don't bite (instead, when they strike, they try to boop you real hard with their pointy snoot so you
think you got bitten). They tend to be spicy as babies, but once they learn you're not a predator, they make very docile pets that are delightful to handle. Their keeled scales give them a neat texture, too!
I have two Plains hognoses myself:
Midgard, an 8-year-old wild phase male who is — and I say this with great affection — a complete dork; and
Astarion, an 8-month-old male snow morph who is still very sassy but pounds down Reptilinks and pinkies alike like there's no tomorrow. As you might have guessed, this pin design is based on my boy Astarion!
What's up next? Time to vote to decide!
Backers, use the poll link to decide what stretch goal #4 will be!
Non-backers, what are you waiting for? 😁 Even if you're not interested in cool pins and stickers, a $5 Just the Vote! pledge will give you access to vote as well!
Use the "View Poll" link below to cast your vote!
Is there a favorite in there that you really really want to see unlocked soon? Shout 'em out in the comments — tell your friends about them, share the campaign on social media with propaganda for your fave! It could get you closer to being able to select the creepy pet of your dreams (or at least a version that doesn't poop) AND it will help out the campaign immensely!
Once again thank you all SO MUCH from the bottom of my cobweb-covered heart.
Backers, stick around...there's more for you after the cut!
Update 05: Jumping Spider Unlocked!
8 months ago
– Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 02:24:07 AM
Okay okay sorry for all the emails, I'm sure you're getting drowned in them with Pintopia going on right now. 😅 And here's one more, because we met the first stretch goal already!!!
Backers, keep reading/click through, because there's a new poll for you! 🗳️
The regal jumping spider is now unlocked!
Everyone who pledges for one or more pins will now have the option to select the
regal jumping spider in the Pledge Manager survey after the campaign! Great job, everyone, and THANK YOU!!!
Now let's do it again! :D
You voted, and you decided! Let's unlock the Mexican black kingsnake!
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Eek, a big black snake! Not-uncommonly used in media for scares, in reality the Mexican black kingsnake —
Lampropeltis getula nigrita — is a smaller colubrid that tends to be a very docile snake and a great eater. Sometimes, actually, a little too great an eater, as they've been known to have brain farts and bite themselves because they smell like what they eat — i.e., a snake. (Needless to say you
cannot house these together.) Though they tend to be somewhat expensive, they make a great beginner pet because they're hardy, gentle, they'll never skip a meal, and they can be kept in a 40 to 120 gallon enclosure their whole lives.
I have one of these myself, in fact! Mine is a rescue, and I opted to keep his original name even though (or honestly because) it does not fit his temperament one bit. This is Nightmare!
Hey remember how I said there's a poll? Voting is on for stretch goal #3! Don't miss your chance to chime in: click the banner below or click the "View the Poll" link to cast your vote for what's next! These polls are open to
backers only, so make your pledge to the campaign today so you can vote as well!
Okay, that's all for now! ...Unless you're a backer. ;) In which case, keep reading!
