Think about it this way: they’ve evolved a clever behavioural hack that doubles the length of their entire digestive tract without any increase in weight. This is extremely efficient!
Comment on Feces is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.
Geodad@lemm.ee 4 days ago
Cecotropes because they have an inefficient digeative system. It’s basically the rodent equivalent of a cow chewing cud.
chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Geodad@lemm.ee 3 days ago
Having to eat your food twice doesn’t sound very efficient to me.
chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world 3 days ago
It’s extremely efficient given the low calorie density, high fibre diet and extremely limited grazing time (dawn and dusk) of crepuscular rabbits.
Think about ruminants for comparison. They spend all day every day grazing on the same kinds of foods as rabbits. Rabbits have a much more rapid metabolism (faster resting heart rate and ridiculous athletic ability) than, say cattle, yet they manage to extract more energy in less time eating. Rabbits are a marvel of efficiency!
Geodad@lemm.ee 3 days ago
Well, that’s a perspective that I hadn’t considered. Thanks!
ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
It’s very efficient. Stuff just needs to go through twice. Saves a lot of space.
Geodad@lemm.ee 3 days ago
Image
Not a bunny, but this guy eats them too.