You’d have a hard time finding a stranger animal than the platypus. It looks like a duck, mixed with a beaver, and aside from having poison back claws, it’s also the only mammal that lays eggs! Needless to say, they are quite fascinating and it’s no wonder that they’ve made an appearance in skin art.
Today we’re going to talk about Platypus tattoos, their symbolism, meanings, and more to give you a little inside look at these amazing Australian animals. If you are looking for a unique tattoo, then this might be just what the doctor ordered!
What is the History of Platypus Tattoos?
Aborigines have many names for the platypus, such as ‘tambreet’, ‘boondaburra’, and ‘mallingong’, and the fact that they are so well-known in Aboriginal culture is pretty important from a historical perspective – as Aboriginal culture dates back a solid 60,000 years!
According to their lore, the Platypus was the result of a forbidden love, when a water rat who was apparently quite the charmer seduced a female duck and the first platypus was born. It’s a lovely story, but even just from a scientific perspective these are ‘odd little ducks’ indeed.
These little creatures are definitely weird and amazing and likely the strangest mammals on the planet. They lay eggs for their young, for instance, but they also nurse them with milk, too. They are actually part of a very ancient animal species known as ‘monotremes’ and this is pretty rare, which is why you only find them in Australia.
While we can’t say when the first platypus tattoos started popping up, we imagine that it was very long ago indeed. After all, once you’ve seen a poison-carrying, web-footed mix between a beaver and a duck, it’s not something that you would soon forget and we imagine some explorers got these tattooed just to tell the story.
What Do Platypus Tattoos Symbolize?
The platypus is the ultimate misfit. It’s odd appearance and combination of many seemingly out-of-place traits makes this animal a symbol of the underdog personality who is not afraid to be themselves completely.
Platypus tattoos tell the world that there’s nothing wrong with being different and that, in fact, it is actually much more interesting than being cut from the same cloth as everyone else on the planet. These animals are one of a kind, after all, and the weirdest mammals found anywhere, so it’s easy to understand our fascination with them.
The platypus also symbolizes a sense of humor with how the universe is run. After all, while we talk about Nature and evolution then we can see that most animals follow a certain trend of development, but when you take the platypus into the equation then all bets go out the window.
From an evolutionary perspective, we suppose that the animal’s design works, but we think that Nature was definitely having a little fun with this one.
What Do Platypus Tattoos Mean?
Platypus tattoos often imply that the owner has a sense of humor, though they are also worn to indicate a unique personality that you don’t find just every day. They can be worn to show also that Nature, too, has a good sense of humor, and some people even choose them out of simple wonder and amazement.
Even in this information age, seeing a platypus is really not quite like seeing any other animal. Their incongruous features seem to cobbled together, that likely early explorers had a hard time proving that they were even real, so one of these tattoos might even mean simply that ‘life is very strange, indeed’.
Finally, some people will choose Platypus tattoos just for the fun aesthetics of them. It’s really a rare treat when you can depict something so strange that we still find it hard to believe, and as cute as they are, it makes for a choice that you won’t be mad at yourself for down the line.
In a way, they also carry a meaning of embracing that sense of wonder that you had as a child. After all, if the universe can produce these creatures, what other wonders might wait for us in our lifetimes?
Where Do Platypus Tattoos Usually Go?
These animals can be placed just about anywhere, although one of the fun things to do with platypus tattoos is to put it somewhere hidden, where only a select few will see them.
A platypus on the hip, for instance, or on the ankle where they will be mostly concealed is a lot of fun, just for the reaction when people find them.
You don’t have to hide it, of course, and some people will put them on their outer arm or perhaps the shoulder, and there are certainly backpieces with these animals around – but they are quite rare, as this is a bold choice and definitely not one for the faint of heart.
Speaking of which, a platypus tattoo above your heart might well be the ultimate way to say that what beats beneath the tattoo is more unique, odd, and interesting than anyone could imagine. Once you know what you want for your design, however, it won’t be difficult to find the perfect place – you’ll simply know.
Characteristics and Styles of Platypus Tattoos
Platypus tattoos don’t even have to be in color, although you might be missing out on some of the wow factor if you go with a black and white one. Many of these tattoos are done with humorous intent, as a way to say that the owner has an excellent sense of humor.
You might see a platypus startling a an actual duck, for instance, into spitting out his beverage! As these creatures are already pretty strange, fun styles like New School really do these animals justice, though photorealistic depictions are also quite popular as a way to showcase the oddity of Nature and her decisions.
If you go with color, you might consider Watercolor tattoo styling, as you can make these surreal creatures even more so, though in all fairness, with their standard color palette and odd shape, you might not actually need much more to make a truly awe-inspiring tattoo.
In conclusion: Platypus tattoos can be as interesting as the animals themselves
When it comes to unique tattoos, the platypus might well be one of the oddest and most interesting choices that you can make, Its an animal that can communicate a unique and fun personality, or simply showcase Nature at her most eccentric.
Whatever your reasons, this is not a tattoo that you’ll have to worry about seeing everywhere once you’ve gotten it. Like the animal, platypus tattoos are amazing and refreshingly, they’re also quite unique!
