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There are many reasons why some animals consume feces. An animal may eat their feces for the following reasons:
- it is a part of their normal digestive pattern.
Some species do what is called Post Gastric Digestion, in which bacteria in their large intestine digest the components of the food that the animal cannot digest itself (such as cellulose/fiber), and convert that material into proteins (incorporated into the cells of the bacteria as they grow), which the animal could digest, if it could get a hold of them. The easy way to do that is to extract the bacteria and eat them.
Rabbits are a common example of a species which is designed to utilize this extra protein source, and routinely eat their own feces, even in the wild.
- the animal is lacking in a particular nutrient.
Some nutrients are difficult to absorb in the digestive system, even if it is only present in small amounts. This means that a lot of a hard-to-absorb nutrient which goes into its mouth in its food is still left when the food gets to the back end of the animal. If an animal is lacking in that nutrient, it may reconsume its feces to get a second shot at absorbing the nutrient.
- stress, obsessive behavior, or other psychological causes.
The exact mechanism that leads to psychologically-induced coprophagia (eating of feces) is hard to pin down universally. Some instances may be the result of stress, or conditioning, or other forms of mental illness.
- pathogenic illness.
Some diseases can cause behavioral and mental changes that lead to abnormal behaviors, such as a change in what the animal defines as acceptable food, which can lead to coprophagia.
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Why do moths eat feces?
Some moths eat feces because they are able to glean nutrients it. They can also eat decomposing plant and animal matter.
Why is there feces?
Feces or fecal matter is undigested animal waste. All mammals produce feces from the food they eat. Feces is what is left over after the digestive process that the body couldn't use.
What animal feces do elephant beetles eat?
small ones that fit in their mandibles.
Why does your dog eats its stool?
The act of an animal eating its feces is called copography. The main reason why animals practice copography is if food was not digested properly. In an animal's feces, there are usually some strains of undigested material, and an animal (your dog) will eat feces to obtain the nutrients.
Can you eat phaeces?
A person can eat their own feces and be okay if it is in small amounts. There are dangers or e coli, and other bacteria being introduced to your body through the feces of another person or animal.
Why does an animal produce an animal and not a plant?
Plants produce plants and animals produce animals! what kind of questin is that.?
What animal produces the biggest pile of feces?
Elephants are an animal that produces large piles of feces. A hippopotamus is another animal that produces large piles of feces.
What animal spray smells like feces?
Skunk spray smells like animal feces
What does grasshopper eat?
They eat human nails they eat animal feces they also eat human dirt like (earwax, snot, etc.) fp
What are animal feces?
their waste...
Feces smells like dead animal?
If an animal's feces smells like a dead animal, the animal is probably sick. There is most likely a problem with their digestive track.
Do butterflies eat feces?
Butterflies eat feces. The consumption of feces is called coprophagia. Butterflies also eat tree sap, decaying fruit, and drink nectar from flowers.
