Kamal Ghorui
Nature can be surprising, and sometimes a little unsettling, especially when animals behave in ways that seem hard for us to understand. One such example is self-cannibalism, highlighting a behaviour where some species eat parts of their own bodies. It might be a snake swallowing its shed skin or an animal chewing off a badly injured limb. Although this sounds disturbing, it can actually be practical. In nature, food is never guaranteed, and removing evidence of injury can help animals stay hidden from predators. Scientists have seen this behaviour in frogs, snakes, crustaceans, lizards, and octopuses, usually linked to hunger, stress, or survival instincts rather than choice. Here are five animals known for this unusual behaviour.
Animals that eat themselves : From snakes to lizards
Frogs
Frogs are kind of neat in this way. Green treefrogs, for example, routinely shed their skin and then eat it. Experts say it’s called dermatophagy. Sounds fancy. Basically, it helps them recycle proteins and minerals, keep their skin healthy, and even hide their scent from predators.Some scientists think it might also help frogs build immunity against pathogens. They sometimes go full-on cannibal and eat other frogs.
Snakes
Snakes sometimes do the strangest things. It’s called ouroboros. It’s when a snake bites its own tail. Reportedly, it happens mostly in captivity. When stressed, their brains seem to misfire. They think their own tail is food.Captive snakes like garter snakes, corn snakes, and California kingsnakes sometimes even eat their shed skin from which they get tiny nutrients from it.
Crustaceans
Crustaceans are experts in recycling. Crabs, lobsters, and shrimp often eat their own exoskeletons after molting. It gives them back calcium and minerals, which they’d otherwise lose. And some are downright cannibalistic. Soft-bodied crabs might attack a molting neighbour and gobble it up.
Lizards
Many lizards can drop their tails to escape predators. Fat-tailed geckos, leopard geckos, green anoles; they all do it. And once the tail is gone, they often eat it.Experts say it’s to recover fat, nutrients, and calcium. Apparently, it can be up to 20% of their stored energy. Watching them do it is weird practically. That tail isn’t wasted; it becomes dinner later.
Octopuses
Octopuses have the most dramatic stories. Octopus vulgaris and similar species sometimes bite or amputate their own arms in captivity. Stress, weird neurological conditions, or escaping predators can trigger it.And females octopuses after laying eggs, hormonal changes might push them toward self-harm.
What is the reason behind animals eating their own body parts
Some animals tend to eat their own body parts. Here are the creepy reasons:
- Some eat shed skin or body parts to recycle nutrients. Frogs and crustaceans, for example, regain proteins and minerals instead of losing them.
- Others do it for energy recovery. Lizards often eat dropped tails since those tails store fat that can help during food shortages.
- It can also help with predator avoidance. Eating shed skin may remove scent traces that predators could follow.
- In a few cases, the behaviour seems linked to stress or confusion, especially in captive animals like snakes or octopuses.
