Space Marine Husbandry - Tumblr Posts
I’ve been seeing a lot of interesting stories and lots of good tips for keeping astartes and such, so I decided I’d dip my toes in the water!
While I have never really kept many astartes, we had an older pair of ultramarines(? I’m pretty sure?-) when I was younger but they were more my parents astartes then anything, I do keep Admechs. Right now I actually have a very sweet (albeit a bit of a nuisance some times—) Magos Explorator and their equally as precious companion Logis. But you see this is where issues kind of arise, I love both of them a lot and I do try to keep them as happy and stimulated as possible (as especially with my explorator, they get very antsy and mischievous when not) but this does take up a lot of time from my work and things. so a few months ago I decided to get a trio of skitarri to hopefully try and curb some of my magos duos tendencies to break out their pen and cause havoc in my home and surrounding neighborhood when I’m trying to work on bigger projects that require more of my attention.
Well, I was excited to find my Logis absolutely loved the new little skits. Even taking very good care of them when on some rare occasion I’m not around to watch them! Though, to my dismay, my explorator seems to want nothing to do with them??? I was very bummed about this as I had read skitarris made for very good companions to magos and it just seems to have made him want to break out even more than usual.
Maybe it’s me being a bit inexperienced, as while I’ve had my magos for a few years now I’m no expert, or maybe I made them upset in some way with bringing these skitarri home, but it’s very worrying that they’re trying to break out so much now as— especially as of late— I’ve seen a few astartes I don’t fully recognize wandering about and it’s always my fear they’ll end up being some territorial breed or like- an iron warrior and my explorator will get into some fight he can’t win since he can be extremely stubborn. Not to mention without my logis by his side he has a habit of straying too far from home before I can catch him again.
Any astartes keepers have tips for keeping unwanted astartes away? Is it really something I should worry about? Have I read too many astartes horror stories? Any tips to help with this? It would be greatly appreciated!
Of course!
I’ve seen a few wandering around as I’m pretty sure either some neighbors keep a few astartes or there are some feral packs that scurry around, but the most common reoccurring ones I’ve watched are a sort of deep blackish color?
I never really get to nab a good look at the little guys as normally as soon as I notice one they’re off, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen at least one or two with a few bionic replacements which is kind of what made me worried it was an Iron warrior. Not to mention if I know one thing about astartes it’s that when ones around the rest of it’s brothers aren’t too far off
I’ve been seeing a lot of interesting stories and lots of good tips for keeping astartes and such, so I decided I’d dip my toes in the water!
While I have never really kept many astartes, we had an older pair of ultramarines(? I’m pretty sure?-) when I was younger but they were more my parents astartes then anything, I do keep Admechs. Right now I actually have a very sweet (albeit a bit of a nuisance some times—) Magos Explorator and their equally as precious companion Logis. But you see this is where issues kind of arise, I love both of them a lot and I do try to keep them as happy and stimulated as possible (as especially with my explorator, they get very antsy and mischievous when not) but this does take up a lot of time from my work and things. so a few months ago I decided to get a trio of skitarri to hopefully try and curb some of my magos duos tendencies to break out their pen and cause havoc in my home and surrounding neighborhood when I’m trying to work on bigger projects that require more of my attention.
Well, I was excited to find my Logis absolutely loved the new little skits. Even taking very good care of them when on some rare occasion I’m not around to watch them! Though, to my dismay, my explorator seems to want nothing to do with them??? I was very bummed about this as I had read skitarris made for very good companions to magos and it just seems to have made him want to break out even more than usual.
Maybe it’s me being a bit inexperienced, as while I’ve had my magos for a few years now I’m no expert, or maybe I made them upset in some way with bringing these skitarri home, but it’s very worrying that they’re trying to break out so much now as— especially as of late— I’ve seen a few astartes I don’t fully recognize wandering about and it’s always my fear they’ll end up being some territorial breed or like- an iron warrior and my explorator will get into some fight he can’t win since he can be extremely stubborn. Not to mention without my logis by his side he has a habit of straying too far from home before I can catch him again.
Any astartes keepers have tips for keeping unwanted astartes away? Is it really something I should worry about? Have I read too many astartes horror stories? Any tips to help with this? It would be greatly appreciated!
Well that is a major relief! Definitely a load off my mind to know I won’t have to fight off any feral war bands-
I’ll try that out sometime then! My Explorator has always been one for finding unlikely friends, hopefully things do go well— I’ll post some updates when the situation develops further.
Thank you so much for your help!
I’ve been seeing a lot of interesting stories and lots of good tips for keeping astartes and such, so I decided I’d dip my toes in the water!
While I have never really kept many astartes, we had an older pair of ultramarines(? I’m pretty sure?-) when I was younger but they were more my parents astartes then anything, I do keep Admechs. Right now I actually have a very sweet (albeit a bit of a nuisance some times—) Magos Explorator and their equally as precious companion Logis. But you see this is where issues kind of arise, I love both of them a lot and I do try to keep them as happy and stimulated as possible (as especially with my explorator, they get very antsy and mischievous when not) but this does take up a lot of time from my work and things. so a few months ago I decided to get a trio of skitarri to hopefully try and curb some of my magos duos tendencies to break out their pen and cause havoc in my home and surrounding neighborhood when I’m trying to work on bigger projects that require more of my attention.
Well, I was excited to find my Logis absolutely loved the new little skits. Even taking very good care of them when on some rare occasion I’m not around to watch them! Though, to my dismay, my explorator seems to want nothing to do with them??? I was very bummed about this as I had read skitarris made for very good companions to magos and it just seems to have made him want to break out even more than usual.
Maybe it’s me being a bit inexperienced, as while I’ve had my magos for a few years now I’m no expert, or maybe I made them upset in some way with bringing these skitarri home, but it’s very worrying that they’re trying to break out so much now as— especially as of late— I’ve seen a few astartes I don’t fully recognize wandering about and it’s always my fear they’ll end up being some territorial breed or like- an iron warrior and my explorator will get into some fight he can’t win since he can be extremely stubborn. Not to mention without my logis by his side he has a habit of straying too far from home before I can catch him again.
Any astartes keepers have tips for keeping unwanted astartes away? Is it really something I should worry about? Have I read too many astartes horror stories? Any tips to help with this? It would be greatly appreciated!
Oh geez! I hadn’t even realized!! Tysm for the information! It’s been a really hard go to find the right reading— I’ll definitely get on this right away!!
Ahh ty again!!!
really hoping this will be the fix because I don’t think my Domus Possessor Consociatio will be too happy with the nuclear option-
I’ve been seeing a lot of interesting stories and lots of good tips for keeping astartes and such, so I decided I’d dip my toes in the water!
While I have never really kept many astartes, we had an older pair of ultramarines(? I’m pretty sure?-) when I was younger but they were more my parents astartes then anything, I do keep Admechs. Right now I actually have a very sweet (albeit a bit of a nuisance some times—) Magos Explorator and their equally as precious companion Logis. But you see this is where issues kind of arise, I love both of them a lot and I do try to keep them as happy and stimulated as possible (as especially with my explorator, they get very antsy and mischievous when not) but this does take up a lot of time from my work and things. so a few months ago I decided to get a trio of skitarri to hopefully try and curb some of my magos duos tendencies to break out their pen and cause havoc in my home and surrounding neighborhood when I’m trying to work on bigger projects that require more of my attention.
Well, I was excited to find my Logis absolutely loved the new little skits. Even taking very good care of them when on some rare occasion I’m not around to watch them! Though, to my dismay, my explorator seems to want nothing to do with them??? I was very bummed about this as I had read skitarris made for very good companions to magos and it just seems to have made him want to break out even more than usual.
Maybe it’s me being a bit inexperienced, as while I’ve had my magos for a few years now I’m no expert, or maybe I made them upset in some way with bringing these skitarri home, but it’s very worrying that they’re trying to break out so much now as— especially as of late— I’ve seen a few astartes I don’t fully recognize wandering about and it’s always my fear they’ll end up being some territorial breed or like- an iron warrior and my explorator will get into some fight he can’t win since he can be extremely stubborn. Not to mention without my logis by his side he has a habit of straying too far from home before I can catch him again.
Any astartes keepers have tips for keeping unwanted astartes away? Is it really something I should worry about? Have I read too many astartes horror stories? Any tips to help with this? It would be greatly appreciated!
Some updates!! After some helpful tips it seems I luckily don’t have an iron warrior problem on my hands and actually a small group of Iron hands!
With the down time I’ve had I took my Explorator on a few more walks than usual and he seemed to enjoy them a lot, we even bumped into the Iron hands in question a few times. I made sure to keep a close eye and did my best not to scare the little guys off and they seemed to interact pretty well!
Though I’ve started to notice tech bits showing up on my porch, which all of my Admechs are certainly delighted by but I think I recognized one of the pieces as one that goes to a chimera so I’m hoping it’s just the scrap yard a few blocks away— cause uh- I’m a bit worried if if it isn’t
I also received some information that I may have upset the balance of my two Admechs with bringing in the new skitarri, so I’m trying out the suggestion of getting 2 cohorts of vanguard skitarri. I’m hoping this will work out because while my Explorator is very greatful for the walks be definitely still isn’t too happy about the skits (and at the same time my Logis doesn’t seem too keen on letting them go 😓), but it’s a slow go as I’m trying to scoop up some extra information so this time I hopefully won’t make another mistake like before.
Fingers crossed!!
Make sure youre not overstocking your battle mat with the new cohorts and I'd recommend putting them into quarantine first before introducing them to your main enclosure incase of scrap code disease.
Oh yeah!— that’s one thing I definitely don’t wanna do, it’s one of my biggest fears when it comes to keeping my Admechs. It’s really why I’ve waited this long to even bring in the skitarri I have already.
I had them quarantined away for maybe a bit more then they needed to be just bc I was psyching myself out about worrying if they had Scrap code or not. (It’s also why I’m trying to take my explorator out a bit more right now as I’m being very careful about who I’m getting this next cohort from and kind of trying to see if things can maybe mellow out—)
But anyway, Ty for the advice and concerns!
Major update!!!!
So, like I’ve mentioned before, bringing in new cohorts was kind of stressing me. I wanna do what I can to keep my Admechs happy obviously but at the same time I don’t wanna take on more then I can handle!— so I decided I’d keep watch of my Explorator to try and see if I was missing any behavioral signs and making sure to acquire more reading, as of late I noticed something and well— it’s the cutest thing!!!!! Guuuuyys!!
I had thought my Explorator didn’t want anything to do with my little skitarri since he had been trying to escape a lot and a few times when checking my skitarri would be cuddled up with my Logis. But I noticed that more often when he gets out my skitarri are gone too! (Worrying I know but hang in there-)
Then, I found that sometimes the skitarri just can’t be found And my Logis will be following behind Explorator a lot more often then usual- and guys??? You know why?!?!
Because my Explorator has been hiding the skitarri under his elytra and carrying them around🥺🥺!!! It’s literally so stinking cute too!
It even got me thinking as, before I’d Brought these skits home the Astartes really didn’t hang around much, let alone bring the scraps like they have been. That was until after my explorator started getting out more and of course when I started introducing him more to the Astartes— so I’m a bit worried my Explorator— knowing his personality— is bullying this pack of Iron hands into dropping off scraps for his own gain and that of our new Skitarri 😅
Honestly!! It’s precious— he gives me little hums if I get too close and mess with his elytra when they’re under there (he normally doesn’t mind me messing with it as I check to make sure he isn’t hiding things he shouldn’t have or make sure he isn’t hurt check ups and things-) he’s just a big protective teddy bear 🥺
Ah that honestly tracks pretty well— for as independent as he can be he loves delegating tasks. So far the skits really have been getting a lot of the scraps but with the ones he’s been keeping I haven’t really been able to make anything out exactly but then again he’s been throwing a fit because I didn’t let him have a more explosive piece of tech the astartes had left for him, so I’m trying to keep an eye on his little project to make sure I won’t have to take another complaint up with my Domus Possessor Consociatio about my AdMech blowing up peoples mailboxes- again
Major update!!!!
So, like I’ve mentioned before, bringing in new cohorts was kind of stressing me. I wanna do what I can to keep my Admechs happy obviously but at the same time I don’t wanna take on more then I can handle!— so I decided I’d keep watch of my Explorator to try and see if I was missing any behavioral signs and making sure to acquire more reading, as of late I noticed something and well— it’s the cutest thing!!!!! Guuuuyys!!
I had thought my Explorator didn’t want anything to do with my little skitarri since he had been trying to escape a lot and a few times when checking my skitarri would be cuddled up with my Logis. But I noticed that more often when he gets out my skitarri are gone too! (Worrying I know but hang in there-)
Then, I found that sometimes the skitarri just can’t be found And my Logis will be following behind Explorator a lot more often then usual- and guys??? You know why?!?!
Because my Explorator has been hiding the skitarri under his elytra and carrying them around🥺🥺!!! It’s literally so stinking cute too!
It even got me thinking as, before I’d Brought these skits home the Astartes really didn’t hang around much, let alone bring the scraps like they have been. That was until after my explorator started getting out more and of course when I started introducing him more to the Astartes— so I’m a bit worried my Explorator— knowing his personality— is bullying this pack of Iron hands into dropping off scraps for his own gain and that of our new Skitarri 😅
“Yeah he’s an indoor marine but we like to try and take him out for a bit, ya know? After all he loves his little enclosed patio at home and really since we’ve gotten the carrier he’s seemed so much happier with it. We’re just glad to let him be outdoors and have this stimulation.”


Oh jeez have I been there. I remember when my folks still had their ultramarine pair I was going over for a visit and the neighbors had just recently gotten a new statue for their front porch- it took me and dad to wrestle down one while my mom and brother kept the other inside the first time they saw it
Ultramarines are a very popular first-time breed, and for good reason. They are tidy, efficient, easily trained, naturally obedient, and are one of the friendlier breeds. Unfortunately, they are also one of the more expensive breeds to keep due to their deep-seated need for bling.
Ultramarines LOVE bling. Wild Ultramarines will decorate their nests with statues of their pack leaders and scavenge for shiny metal to gild their armor. You may recall the Siege of '92 when a park's ornate railings, broad pavilions, and equestrian statues attracted a whole company of feral Ultramarines, who claimed it "for Ultramar" and drove off the visitors so they could build a nest. Astartes experts theorize that Ultramarines use bling to establish status and attract mates.
New owners should be prepared to purchase at least one marble sculpture and several gilded items for their Ultramarine's enclosure. They should also award him with medals and other decorations for his armor and weaponry. Upkeep is easy--as long as the owner provides their Ultramarine with sufficient supplies, he will clean and maintain his bling without prompting. Indeed, some Ultramarines find bling cleaning to be a calming activity.
Failing to invest in bling will cause a rapid downturn in mood. Initially, the blingless Ultramarine will vocalize frequently about "shame" and "dishonor" to express his distress. If the situation is not amended, he can become lethargic and withdrawn and may even grow a beard. Alternatively, he may become increasingly aggressive as he seeks to find or earn more bling. If an Ultramarine begins showing these signs, it is highly imperative for an owner to purchase more decorations for his enclosure, and to frequently assure him of his honor.
Warnings: Yandere, Obsessive, Possessive, Possessive behaviour, Mention of blood, Mention of infanticide
The small bundle in his arms barely moved as he took it into his large, armored hands.
The fabric had slipped slightly, revealing the sleeping face of a newborn who had recently been screaming loudly, causing his human to fuss around his cradle.
This crying was driving him crazy, he wanted to shut up this little loud throat, it would not be difficult, but it would make his human cry and get upset.
Stupid, stupid his human, why does he worry so much about something so useless and pathetic like this baby when he has him? Isn't he better than this ugly, demanding little larva? He's better than this in every way.
Oh! His poor, narrow-minded human simply hasn't realized it yet, but there's nothing to worry about, he'll take care of everything and then his human will see.
A wet, soft crunch filled the nursery. The previously soft-colored blanket in which this was wrapped had turned crimson.
The previously moving lump in the blanket fell silent...forever.
As if nothing had happened, he wrapped what was left of the newborn back in his blanket, rocking the bundle soothingly so as not to attract the attention of his human. He slipped out of the nursery and then out of the apartment with silent steps.
He had long ago noticed a quiet place in the park where his human used to often walk...so it was time to add some fertilizer to the soil.
A Brief Respite
Warnings: Yandere, Obsessive, Possessive, Possessive behaviour, Mention of blood, Mention of killing an animal
(Tired of all this sushi and hype around the Astartes, the man actively rejects the idea of connecting with the Space Marine who begins to hang around near their home)
You wake up again to rustling and scurrying sounds outside, it seems that even the fact that you bought a house in the wilderness did not help you escape from being stopped from being disturbed, but at least you were able to escape from something else, from this maddening fanaticism for these damn Astartes. Space Marines. Or whatever they are called? In short, from these creatures.
They came out of nowhere, speak an incomprehensible language, do whatever they want and most importantly, everyone is delighted with them (not everyone, but most people), even your shitty friends, in whom you thought you would find common sense, one after another got hooked on this shit.
You feel sick from this, you want to take a double-barreled shotgun and shoot yourself, but this is not the first time the world has gone crazy, right?
New rustling sounds outside force you to get out of bed and, throwing open the window, shout, "Get out, you garbage rat!"
For a while the sounds stop and with a feeling of deep satisfaction you wait back in bed, already closing your eyes you jump from the sound of broken glass.
Something flew through the window and slammed against the wall, falling to the floor, leaving a dark stain of blood on the wall.
You couldn't fall asleep until the morning. Only in the morning, in the light of the merciful sun, you saw a 'gift' (or a threat?) - a dead rat, or rather what was left of it after hitting the wall.
With disgust and revulsion, you threw the rat into the trash, washing the blood stain off the wall all day. You had heard enough about the manhunters among the Astartes, so the next night you slept fitfully, hugging your gun.
However, it was of little help when a huge shadow broke into your house.
Shadow on the wall.
Warnings: yandere, mention of murders, persecution, obsession, possession.
You froze, huddled under the table. Listening to the sounds and to your ancient instincts, telling you to freeze and become as small as possible, unnoticeable to whoever is in your apartment.
You never expected that your apartment, which you thought was the safest place on earth, would turn out to be a nightmare trap.
You had no idea the evening would end like this. You had no idea that the sound of a light scratching on your front door was anything more significant than a wild or stray animal. This was your price for the mistake.
Horror gripped your organs with an icy, clawed paw, forcing you to swallow your cries and any sounds.
Now you were remembering all the weird shit that happened this week.
But what was the first sign?
A pack of stray dogs disappearing? A lonely Blood Angel wandering around your front door? Maybe a couple of your friends are missing? Or maybe scary ruby-red eyes looking into your windows at night? It doesn't matter now. It's too late...
You hold your breath listening to the sounds in your apartment. It's so damn quiet. As if even the neighbors don't exist through the wall.
Maybe it's gone?
Your hopes were not destined to come true, because a huge figure covered you with a shadow under the table.
I've been in the Astartes Husbandry scene for a long time and have even earned my degree in Astartes Behavioral Science, with a minor in Gene-seed Speculation. I actually did my thesis on Flesh Tearers domestication and rehabilitation! And let me tell you, Blood Angels are not for the faint of heart! I'm a proud owner of three wonderful Angels--one of which is a Lamenter (I know, right?!), and I couldn't be happier. But, only because I put in the effort! They get a bad reputation due to their predisposition to Prion disease and HIGH maintenance--something people usually only find out AFTER they've adopted a scout for a Sanguinala gift. I run a charity reassigning Blood Angels, and I can't tell you how many Deathwatch companies I've visited and found that these poor marines have been abandoned right after the holidays--which is when they need the most support from their handlers. It's difficult, but I and my volunteers have dispatched marines to dozens of forever command posts, and we're only growing!
Most people are drawn to Blood Angels because of their stunning pedigree, excellent manners, psychic aptitude and nigh-effortless training. They make wonderful guards and are very docile around children, but these are about as far from family-marines as Iron Warriors! It's a common misconception, so as a little PSA, I'll let you know what to expect from Blood Angels, so you can decide if they're the right breed for you!
First thing's first: the Arch-Traitor in the room. They are all susceptible to a Prion disease scientifically known as B74CK-RG. It's tragic, but it can be delayed for as long as you are willing to put in the effort! Know the signs, and take action as soon as you can! They won't always let you know that they are suffering, so it's up to you as their handler to take initiative for their health! It sounds daunting, I know, but the secret is stress management! Blood Angels are highly susceptible to certain kinds of stress, so I've listed my top 3 Husbandry Hacks--guaranteed to ease behavioral issues in your Blood Angel! 1) Adopt in pairs! Blood Angels thrive on brotherhood, and they need each other for support, competition, inspiration and companionship. If you have the resources, I would encourage trios! Having at least one other Blood Angel in the home will make your new forever-marine feel accepted and understood. After all, there are some burdens us mortals aren't equipped to bear! 2) Grooming! As fun as braiding your Blood Angel's lovely golden hair is, their grooming habits get expensive! They are very clean and hypoallergenic, but require a stringent hair-and-skincare routine that MUST be maintained! If you plan on taking your marine to shows, you have already prepared for this, but if you are just looking for a casual adoption, add another category to your budget!
And speaking of your budget, to truly have a happy, healthy Blood Angel with a full lifespan, get ready to break your bank with: 3) Artistic expression! My Blood Angels spend hours at a time writing and reciting poetry, painting, drafting, singing and playing music, and a wide spectrum of other interests. Every Blood Angel is different, but all of them decompress through art. After battles, long missions, or even after a sleepless night, your Blood Angel will cope with stress through a hobby. But regular trips to JoAnn's, Michaels or Hobby Lobby won't do. Be prepared to contact professional suppliers or attend auctions to fund your marine's interests--otherwise they will often obtain "inspiring mediums" themselves. Just ask my neighbor what happened when my Chaptermaster ran out of supplies!
Blood Angels are a misunderstood legion, but I assure you, there are no bad Blood Angels, only bad owners! If you have any doubts or questions, sign up for one of my seminars or volunteer with us to make sure every Blood Angel has a purpose and a home. They are just as deserving of love as any Ultramarine-mix or pedigree Imperial Fist, and together we can create the homes they deserve!
post your astarteskeeping takes that will have you like this

I'll go first: I don't think it's possible to ethically keep thousand sons as pets. I know they're popular for their beauty and intense hobbies but their social needs are incredibly complex and hard to meet even for professional keepers, not to mention the psychic aspect







A pamphlet featured in our last seminar! Make sure that you know the signs so that you and your Blood Angel can live a happy, harmonious life!
That's a great question, and even if it hurts to hear, it's a question worth asking!
The answer is definitely not! I only bring up their drawbacks in the name of education, but a well-maintained Blood Angel can last centuries without an episode!
They're wonderful marines and they do an incredible amount of good for the Imperium. I've made it my life's goal to inform prospective handlers so that we can prevent accidents in the future.
Remember! No bad Blood Angels, only bad handlers!







A pamphlet featured in our last seminar! Make sure that you know the signs so that you and your Blood Angel can live a happy, harmonious life!
Ah!!! You have truly seen something wonderful! Wild noise marines are as elusive as they are rare! The domestic ones are illegal after many cities put a noise ordinance in place, but my aunt has a lovely special needs specimen living on her farm (lost an arm and a leg to a Drukhari raid, poor thing). Fun fact, he's actually how I got into Astartes Husbandry!
He loves to sing with the coyotes, and once, when I was a little girl, I heard something strange singing along with him! It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard, and I wish I could begin to describe it. When I asked, my aunt told me about wild Kakophoni and that's the reason I should always be home when the wind whistles in the pine trees. I've tried to hear it again, but no matter how many nights I spent in duck blinds or tree stands, I've never heard a peep!
I knew after that first day that I wanted to work with Astartes professionally, and boy did I make the right choice!
We woke up to Screech singing this morning. It was the cutest thing.
Then we realized who he was singing to.
There was an entire colony of adult Noise Marines on our lawn.
And my sweet boy Citronus just handed the baby over to them, no hostilities at all! The pack leader, who appears to be Screech's sire, just gave him a gentle nod and they left. It was amazing, I've never seen Loyalist and Chaos breeds be so cordial to each other.
In spite of myself I kinda miss the little fella, he was loud as all hell but just as cute.