Sorry for the "graphic" title but I would like to know if any of you has any insight on this.

Eating feces is somewhat common in nature. From african elephants to north american rodents, this practice allows babies/infants to start the symbiotic bacteria colonies they need for proper food digestion or assimilation.

I never seen it mentioned in reptiles and would like to know if any of you has any info on this or has witnessed anything relevant.

Thanks!
Ricardo

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I know that when it comes to bearded dragons, eating of feces can cause alot of parasite infections as well as salmonella...

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Jayr & Mandy Robinson
J&M Herp Shack
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Does this apply when they are eating they own feces? The bacteria is already in their system...

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The only animal I can think of that has to eat the feces of an adult is the baby Koala, since Eucalyptus is toxic they need a bacteria in their digestive tract that helps to neutralize it, other than that it is usually the result of a mineral or nutrient deficiency.

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Like I said in the first post, elephants and (some) rodents do it too. See this page, in the "Coprophagia in non-human animals" section.

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The only animals I can think of that eat feces like that are all mammals. Elephants, rodents, and koalas were good examples. Dogs and cats will sometimes do it too, but I don't know why. I know elephants will eat theres to recycle wasted nutrients, since the much of what an elephant "lets out the back door" is undigested.

When cleaning my turtle enclosures I've seen my florida redbelly attempt to eat her own feces sometimes, but I think its just cause she mistakes it for food. She'll try and eat anything that looks ha;fway edible.

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

Yeah guinea pigs do it as well, i know of... Eating a reptiles own feces is not a good idea as I mentioned before, that is why are are to "spot clean" on a daily basis, it would be an unhealty transfer of bad bacteria, kinda like salmonella, reptiles carry it in general but it would take another carrier (the feces) to contract it...

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Jayr & Mandy Robinson
J&M Herp Shack
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hatchling Uromastyx are suposed to be fed feces from an adult

DeerFernFarms.com

" Note hatchlings MUST be offered fresh fecal pellets from a healthy adult Uromastyx during the first few days post hatching. They need this in order to properly inoculate their guts and grow normally. Failure to do this will often significantly stunt their growth and increase their potential to suffer gut impactions early in life. The drive for them to eat this material wanes quickly, so you must do this as soon as possible. Crumble fresh fecal pellets into their normal food and watch to make sure each individual eats at least some of the fecal mass. Don't use a fecal pellet from an adult whom you've recently wormed or treated with antibiotics. Pick an individual that is obviously thriving and is free from an excessive load of parasites (not a lot of "rice"-like particles in the fecal pellet), but it doesn't have to be parasite-free. Parasite-free may not even be desirable - they jury is still out on that one. By parasites, we're strictly referring to nematodes. Other parasites such as coccidia etc. are undesirable at any levels."

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I have read that about uros too... what a wierd husbandry technique...lol, can you imagine explaining that to some mother of some kids that wants a uro....lol

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Jayr & Mandy Robinson
J&M Herp Shack
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Uromastyx hatchling. In the wild adults are said to place fresh fecal pellets at the opening to the nest site & when the newly hatched babies emerge the immediately consume these.

Like Jade stated......They discuss it at Deerfern farms, go to the bottom of the page.
http://www.deerfernfarms.com/Uromastyx_Care.htm