[ INTRO ] This month's Rocks Box is extra special.

We’ve really pulled out all the stops for you. We actually managed to track down the original source vein for pet rocks.

So pet rocks, also known as Saxulum familiaris, are a domesticated species, and we’ve been happily sharing our homes with them for decades. However, due to some shoddy record keeping and some business-y subterfuge, the original pet rock source vein was kind of a mystery until recently. But we have found it, and it’s actually not too far from our studios here in Missoula!

So what we’re bringing to all  of our Rocks Box subscribers is individuals from the actual original, wild-dwelling population of Saxulum petrum, which is really exciting! Now because they’re not domesticated, they can be pretty skittish when  you’re first getting to know them. Let them get to know your scent before you try to handle them too much.

OW! as a side note, make sure you don’t house your new pet rock with any domesticated rocks just yet, at least until they quarantine for a while. You’ll want to be very intentional about letting males and females share an enclosure, s ince even though they’re separate species, you can still end up with a bunch of pebbles running around! Now in order to help your new  buddy acclimate to its home, you’re gonna want to help  make it a nice, comfy nest.

And we’ve got a few options for you based on their preferred home environment! You can make it a little moss bed, like this one I’ve got here. They also really like to burrow in sand, so try to include a little sandy corner.

And while they don’t have any natural predators, they do like to have the option of sunny or shady environments, so if you can, give them something leafy to spend some time under if they wanna get out of the light. These are just a few tips to help your new friend acclimate to your home, but every rock is different! Spend the time to get to know  their likes and dislikes, and you’ll have a friend for life.

Or maybe longer than life, they are rocks. We don’t know exactly what their life span is But it might be… Forever I think we’re all on the same page here, but this, an April Fool’s joke. However, you can play along at home Because we have made a Pet Rock sticker That’s available at the SciShow merch store!

You’ll get a whole bunch of little accessories to make your pet rock, your own. And then you can take pictures  of it and send them to us And we will share them in every way We can imagine doing that Check back here tomorrow for our actual Rocks Box video, because it’s gonna be big! [ OUTRO ]