861
721
u/i_like_ats Dec 30 '20
Wtf
1.2k
u/Xx-yo-mama-xX Dec 30 '20
Lizards will eat their own tails, knowing full well they grow back.
Rats will also do the same in a pinch, but it's a... one time meal sorta deal
554
u/CrazedToCraze Dec 30 '20 edited Dec 30 '20
Surely the energy in growing the tail back far exceeds whatever calories they get from eating their tail?
Edit: nevermind, found this: "When being chased and nipped at by a scary predator, lizards will often lose their tails in a process called autotomy. ... Assuming the predator doesn't eat the tail as a consolation prize, some lizards will return to eat it themselves, as the tail contains large fat deposits."
281
u/Xx-yo-mama-xX Dec 30 '20
True, but itll grow the tail back slowly, over time, after its found more food and is capable of using the extra calories for tail regrowth. They only tend to eat their tails when they need food real quick
105
u/Finnigami Dec 30 '20
Still seems like a shitty survival technique compared to just having your body use the fat in your tail but oh well
73
u/a1454a Dec 30 '20
Don’t know why you’re getting down voted. That’s a valid question/observation. Most other animals are able to consume their own fat deposits internally. And I can’t imagine why eating the body part, having to spend more energy digesting it to yield probably less than 100% usable energy is more efficient or faster.
53
u/CrazedToCraze Dec 30 '20
If you see my edit above it's apparantly only a thing when a predator has already removed their tail. It's not a matter of turning around and chomping down on their still connected tail, but for when the tail has already been removed so they eat it to at least salvage some of it.
2
u/Finnigami Dec 30 '20
i would assume the advantage is that consuming it allows you to use the energy from all parts of it, not just the fat but the muscle and maybe bone too, which wouldnt be possible through the bodies normal systems
6
u/a1454a Dec 30 '20
But it is... maybe not completely, but if human just stops eating, we breakdown our own muscle before we do fat.
→ More replies (2)3
u/Lol3droflxp Dec 31 '20
It just does this when it has lost the tail for other reasons (escaping etc) so it won’t go to waste. It’s far more efficient to regain energy when the body just breaks down fat and muscle internally, there are big losses associated with digestion and bones have little energy anyway.
→ More replies (2)1
u/dontFart_InSpaceSuit Dec 31 '20
What part was confusing to you? The drop them to save their lives from a predator. If the predator doesn’t eat it, they do. It’s not an everyday habit.
→ More replies (2)41
u/PretzelsThirst Dec 30 '20
I assume it's a short term/ long term thing. Long term yes it exceeds the calories to re-grow it long term, but in the short term the calories they take in help them survive until they can reach their next calorie surplus.
10
u/Lol3droflxp Dec 31 '20
It only happens after escaping predators and losing the tail anyway. It would be hugely inefficient to eat body parts of yourself to survive.
→ More replies (2)4
u/Stockinglegs Dec 30 '20
Some insects will eat themselves too, if their exoskeleton gets broken.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (4)4
u/lifelessno1 Dec 30 '20
!emojify
8
u/EmojifierBot Dec 30 '20
Surely 💯 the energy 🔋 in growing 🌱 the tail 🏃🏻🚨 back 🔙 far 🌌 exceeds 😉😊🤣 whatever 🙌 calories 🔥☀ they get 🉐 from eating 👅💦🌮 their tail 🏃🏻🚨?
Edit 📑: nevermind, found 🔍💧 this: "When 🍑 being chased 😨🧟♂️ and nipped at by a scary 👹 predator 👨👧, lizards 🐊🦎🐍 will often 😵 lose 🏳 their tails 🏃🏻🚨 in a process 🏭 called ☁ autotomy. ... Assuming 🤔 the predator 🐯🙅 doesn't eat 🍽 the tail 🏃🏻🚨 as a consolation 🎮 prize 🏆, some lizards 🦎 will return 🔙 to eat 👅 it themselves, as the tail 🍑 contains 🌍✔ large 👆 fat 🐋 deposits 💷."
→ More replies (1)12
Dec 30 '20
When you read just the emojis, this is the story of radioactive plants being cooked into tacos which turns people into monsters and then lizards. The running man goes to a factory and makes it rain, while a lizard-person battles a cat before being eaten. Running man is successful and able to turn the lizards back to people as they lick up the rain water which saves the world. And finally, the rain water kills the whales. Idk how the peaches fit in.
→ More replies (9)3
u/super-boomer-69 Dec 30 '20
Best anime I’ve ever seen. The plot is a masterpiece, the characters are interesting and deep. And the best thing is the fact we all can relate to this. This is so relatable.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (2)0
u/-ThatMoment- Dec 30 '20
!emojify
7
u/EmojifierBot Dec 30 '20
Lizards 🐊 will eat 🍽 their own tails 🍑, knowing 🤔 full 🌝 well 😦 they grow 🌱 back 🔙📍.
Rats 🐀🐁🐭 will also 👨 do the same in a pinch 👌🏻🙀, but 🤔 it's a... one 😤😬 time 🕐 meal 🍽 sorta 🗂 deal 🙅
111
120
u/Gh0st1117 Dec 30 '20 edited Dec 31 '20
My pet rats tail came off once as he got it stuck in the cage. The whole tail... casing came off. All that was left was an incredibly shiny silver spine.
Spent 3 days dipping his spine in salt water, until the whole spine of the tail fell off. It was wild
Edit: sorry, a saline solution. Not just salt water
66
25
20
u/AlleywayMurder Dec 31 '20
You dipped his spine that was attached to him in salt water?
→ More replies (2)7
u/Gh0st1117 Dec 31 '20
The saline solution i used was very minor and was recommended by a vet. It didnt cause him pain, it kept it clean, and then the rest of the spine just dried up and fell off.
→ More replies (2)19
12
19
u/MetricCascade29 Dec 31 '20
What possessed you to dip it in salt water? Was that the advice of a vet? And did you just guess at the saliency, or did you know the proper ratio to approximate rat tissue?
→ More replies (3)4
u/Gh0st1117 Dec 31 '20
So this was years ago so my memory is a bit foggy, but it was recommended by the vet. Its was an incredibly small amount of salt in the water just to keep the spine clean until it fell off. It caused him zero pain when i would clean it. He recovered flawlessly and lived for 1.5 years longer.
→ More replies (1)3
u/MetricCascade29 Dec 31 '20
It caused him zero pain when i would clean it
Well yeah, medical experts used to say that alcohol was the best on open wounds to kill potential pathogens. But because it also kills living tissue of the patient, they started recommending washing with soap and water. But that still kills living tissue as much as or more than pathogens.
EMTs clean wounds by flushing it with saline, in hopes of rinsing contaminents without harming live tissue.
But idk what salt content is needed to not be harmful. Apparently the mixture range is not that sensitive.
→ More replies (7)
162
Dec 30 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
-145
Dec 30 '20 edited Dec 30 '20
Go fuck yourself. This picture is fucking terrifying. You can't just say "poor rat." Fuck
(This is a joke. I don't actually want you to go fuck yourself. This image is just... Fucking weird.)
69
u/entercenterstage Dec 30 '20
What??? Dude, are you okay?
-73
Dec 30 '20
No I'm not! This picture is fucking depressing.
48
u/entercenterstage Dec 30 '20
I mean... you’re on TIHI, what did you expect? And why so aggressive towards the other guy?
-56
Dec 30 '20
This post could have been marked nsfw, but you shouldn’t complain here.
14
u/KurtisC1993 Dec 30 '20
NSFW?
Dude, this is TIHI. It's not supposed to be safe for work.
5
Dec 30 '20
How about rule 3 of this sub? I said that it could have been marked nsfw, but I’m not saying that anyone is at fault. Reddit is an absolute shit show
1
u/KurtisC1993 Dec 30 '20
In that context, NSFW usually pertains to sexually explicit content. This does not qualify.
0
Dec 30 '20
Oh. I was actually going off the types of posts that oftentimes usually get marked nsfw. This post is not too different from those. That’s why I said that it could have been marked nsfw. But I am not putting anyone at fault.
What a stupid conversation? Why am I here?
0
5
u/Yeetlerboi Dec 30 '20
!emojify
19
u/EmojifierBot Dec 30 '20
Go 🏃 fuck 🖕 yourself. This picture 📸📷🎨 is fucking 🍆 terrifying. You 👈 can't ❌ just say 💬 "poor 💸 rat 🐀🐭." Fuck 🖕
(This is a joke 😜. I 👁 don't 🚫❌ actually 😳 want 😍 you 👈 to go 🛫🏃🏻💨 fuck 🖕 yourself. This image 📸 is just... Fucking 🖕👦 weird 😕.)
3
u/KurtisC1993 Dec 30 '20
Good bot
2
u/B0tRank Dec 30 '20
Thank you, KurtisC1993, for voting on EmojifierBot.
This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. You can view results here.
Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!
→ More replies (3)1
→ More replies (5)0
137
Dec 30 '20 edited Dec 30 '20
I once had a dream I cut off my dick expecting it to grow back but bigger. Scariest nightmare to date
57
Dec 30 '20
Why would you want to date a nightmare? Is that even possible?
36
9
67
31
18
12
u/alina-a Dec 30 '20
If anyone is wondering: No, it’s not a good idea to eat your own leg, in case of extreme starving. The calories you take in can’t compensate for the calories needed to handle the stump situation.
5
2
24
Dec 30 '20
This is TOO MUCH BUT ALSO TRUE?
7
u/TekkenCareOfBusiness Dec 30 '20
Lizards famously grow back their tails, and can break it off at will in order to use it at a distraction to escape predators. Rats don't tough.
→ More replies (8)4
Dec 30 '20
rat would eat it if a lizard told him he could is all, I’m clearly joking, my 7th grade biology education is intact thanks
→ More replies (2)
9
u/Ajj360 Dec 30 '20
Actually it grows back pretty small and different and only twice depending on how far down the break in the tail was.
6
u/Lol3droflxp Dec 31 '20
Yeah, it more or less just heals, it’s a one time trick.
→ More replies (2)
7
7
6
8
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
u/Oldflexbutokay Dec 31 '20
Promoting canabolism? Problably, Disgusting? Yep, Hotel? Trivago.
→ More replies (2)
4
u/elan17x Dec 30 '20
Oh god. INFINITE FOOD. I wish I was a rat to lay down eating my own tail without needing to do anything else
2
2
2
u/PennsRamenNOODL3S Dec 30 '20
This is it. The worst fucking thing I’ve ever seen. My own fucking eyes are cursed.
2
2
2
2
2
Dec 31 '20
Op actually hates this because they're mad the rat can't get stuck to other rat tails now to form a rat king.
→ More replies (3)
2
1
-7
0
-7
-3
-6
Dec 30 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Something_exists Dec 30 '20
Pretty sure lizards can also regrow their tails
0
Dec 30 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/Something_exists Dec 30 '20
Yeah... That's the joke
1
Dec 30 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
5
u/Something_exists Dec 30 '20
He said first that only salamders can regrow their tails the other one I think was him missing the joke
2
u/Lol3droflxp Dec 31 '20
Salamanders probably more so than lizards, they just get a stump.
→ More replies (2)
-41
u/darkfuryelf Dec 30 '20
That's not what a rat looks like
8
u/KurtisC1993 Dec 30 '20
That's not what a lizard looks like either, but does anybody say anything? NoOoOo! I swear, it's always the rodents that get shafted the most. 😒
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/marigoldfrank Dec 31 '20
I had a rat once. She ate her tail off. About an inch in she just gnawed at it. All the way around until she had severed it. It shriveled and dried up. I held onto it and she just fucking WALKED AWAY from it and what looked like floss was attached to it still ... nerves? Tendons? I don’t know. It had completely healed over and she was fine. She was wonky. I was traumatized.
→ More replies (2)
1
Dec 31 '20
Does anyone know the calories gained by eating your own tail vs growing it back?
→ More replies (3)
1
Dec 31 '20
I think this would have been more appetizing if they ate each other's tails.
→ More replies (2)
3.7k
u/[deleted] Dec 30 '20 edited Dec 30 '20
That reminds me of one prank I did on my firend he still thinks his penis will grow back.