Question by Sean: How do non-human mammals obtain calcium in their diets?
Just like humans, I believe all or most animals have a dietary requirement for calcium in their diets, during adulthood. But there is no other animal besides humans that consumes milk or dairy beyond infancy. So how do other animals obtain calcium during adulthood?
Humans have been taught that if you do not drink milk from a cow, you will get osteoporosis or suffer a calcium deficiency. Herbivores do not drink milk during adulthood, no other animals do. Do they suffer symptoms of calcium deficiency?
Best answer:
Answer by Leah
some carnivores do it by eating bones, but i’m not sure if all mammals are as persnickety as humans in that sense
What do you think? Answer below!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Some predators swallow their prey whole, and are able to digest the bones in order to obtain the calcium. Snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians and birds do that. There is also calcium in plant material, so vegetarians can get their calcium that way. Cats are known to nibble on vegetation even though they are strictly carnivorous, so they may be able to get some of the calcium they need that way.
Many wild animals will gnaw on old bones– an animal carcass is visited by representatives of basically every level of animal. Rodents in particular like to chew on bones, because it not only gives them calcium but it helps keep the length of their teeth in check.