Tico

**Tico** (originally known as Tico the Skunk in the 1998 pilot) (theoretical full name: **Tico Acornio**) is a dark purple squirrel and a friend of Dora's who lives in the forest. Spanish is his first language and he speaks very little English. He wears a colorful striped vest and is usually seen driving his little yellow car, although he has been known to travel in a variety of vehicles, from helicopters to boats to a bicycle plane. He has purple fur, a round body, and small triangular stumps for arms and legs, He is also Benny's best friend (revealed in Best Friends).

## Description

A four-year-old Spanish-speaking squirrel and a good friend to Dora. While Tico is young and playful, he can also be brave and heroic. Since Tico can operate any vehicle--everything from a bicycle-powered plane to a Super Spy boat-car--he has been known to save the day in a crisis. He is often found driving in his little yellow car or in his tree at the Nutty Forest.

Tico's function on the show is to help Dora teach the audience words and phrases in Spanish; Dora has to tell Tico something in Spanish, such as "Faster", "Stop", "Wait", or "Look out", and she asks the viewers at home to say it along with her. In some episodes, a different Spanish-speaking character (such as Señor Tucán) appears instead of Tico.

In the episode "Dora's First Trip", it was established that Boots had been friends with Tico before Dora met either of them, despite the fact that Boots and Tico speak two different languages.

## Looks

Tico has purple fur, white eyes, a pink nose, black pupils, and a long tail. He wears a colorful striped vest consisting of colors orange, magenta, dark violet, lime, and blue.

Before he became a squirrel, in the pilot, Tico was originally a dark blue skunk with red hair and a yellow belly.

## Appearances

Tico has appeared in most episodes of Dora the Explorer. He never appeared in Diego’s own show since it has already has squirrels. In Journey to Jaguar Mountain, He made a cameo appearance in a picture of Dora and her friends sailing on a pirate ship from the Pirate Adventure in Diego’s photo album. The episodes where he was absent were Pinto, the Pony Express and Boots' Banana Wish.

### Season 1

* Lost and Found (character find only)
* Hic-Boom-Ohhh! (official first appearance)
* Big River
* Beaches
* Three Little Piggies
* Grandma's House (character find only)
* Sticky Tape
* To the Treehouse
* Little Star
* Fish Out of Water (character find only)
* Call Me Mr. Riddles
* Wizzle Wishes
* Surprise!

### Season 2

* The Big Storm
* The Missing Piece
* El Día De Las Madres
* The Golden Explorers
* The Happy Old Troll
* To the Monkey Bars
* A Letter for Swiper
* Rojo the Fire Truck
* A Present For Santa
* ¡Rápido, Tico!
* Super Map!
* Egg Hunt
* Dora, La Músico
* Hide and Go Seek
* School Pet
* Whose Birthday is It?
* Super Spies

### Season 3

* Louder!
* The Lost City
* Roberto the Robot
* Rescue, Rescue, Rescue!
* The Fix-it Machine
* Baseball Boots
* Dora Saves The Game
* Best Friends
* Job Day
* Dora's Pirate Adventure

### Season 4

* Dora's First Trip
* Super Spies 2: The Swiping Machine
* La Maestra de Música
* Dora Saves the Mermaids
* Big Sister Dora
* Super Babies (cameo)
* We're a Team!
* The Mixed-Up Seasons (cameo)
* The Shy Rainbow (cameo)
* Dora's Dance to the Rescue
* Dora's Fairytale Adventure
* Dora's World Adventure!

### Season 5

* First Day of School
* The Backpack Parade
* The Big Red Chicken's Magic Show
* Dora Saves the Snow Princess
* Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure
* The Super Babies Dream Adventure
* Pirate Treasure Hunt (mentioned)

### Season 6

* Happy Birthday, Super Babies!
* ¡Vacaciones!
* Halloween Parade
* Dora in Troll Land
* The Big Red Chicken’s Magic Wand
* Pepe's School Day Adventure
* Dora's Royal Rescue

### Go, Diego, Go!

* Journey to Jaguar Mountain (picture only)

### Dora and Friends: Into the City

* Return to the Rainforest
* Dora's Rainforest Reunion

### The VeggieTales Show

* God Wants Us to Make Peace
* The Power of Love
* When Being Good Means Giving Up
* Little Things Matter
* Patience Takes Practice
* Forgiveness Brings the Fixing
* Samson's Bad Hair Day
* The Good Shepherd
* LarryBoy and the Emperor of Envy (pictured cameo)
* Naaman Takes a Bath
* The Grumble Cure

## Trivia

* Tico has his own leitmotif that plays whenever he appears or is mentioned (A-C-G-A-C-G-A-C).
* Tico first spoke English in Beaches with "Swiper, no swiping!", and later again in We're a Team!. It is possible this is the only English phrase he has learned, or he could simply be saying it phonetically without knowing its actual meaning.
* When Tico appeared on "Dora In Wonderland," his role was Tweedledee.
* Tico appeared on the Dora and Friends: Into the City! episode "Return to the Rainforest".
* Although a native Spanish-speaker throughout the series, Tico tries learning some English. Boots mentions that he will teach Tico English in First Day of School.
* In real life, Tico cannot drive cars because he has to be 16 to drive.
* Aside from the Pirate Adventure photo in Journey to Jaguar Mountain, Tico, along with Isa and Benny, never makes an appearance in Go, Diego, Go!.