Using the same logic as Jessica (and I do), Ami voraciously eats all sorts of foods so I consider him an omnivore. He does, however, definitely have preferences: yes to peas and carrots, not to broccoli and brussels sprouts. Also - the teeth thing - he thoroughly chews his peanuts and shredded wheat. An savors them:)

amymeme wrote:

seattlesibe wrote:

MiyasMomma wrote:

The longer the species is domesticated the more it becomes "humanized:, imho.

And if you think about this, one of the great trends in human society is to give a  big F'you to biology and create lives for ourselves or extend lives that biology would have prevented or terminated.  This absolutely extends to our closest domesticated pets.  

I'm currently alive and typing on this computer because of this.  Biologically I should be dead.

Ok, I'll bite...biologically you should be dead?

Type 1 diabetes: my pancreas died 15 years ago. Biotech scientists (like my partner) keep me alive / ?? It's a profound philosophical conundrum for me, intellectually at least.

techigirl78 wrote:

My huskies and cats fall into the second group.  They seem to love meat, but will sample other things too, so I guess to me that is omnivore.  I know both need a good amount of protein though, so if you want to say carnivore with some opportunistic tendencies that is fine by me too.  

My snake though . . .  I have never seen him go for anything other then mice and rats.  I have had him outside and he does not sample the plants.  He won't take cheese of my plate.  That to me is full fledged pure carnivore.

This is actually a great distinction and one that sheds some light.  We have never domesticated an animal that is too strict in their dietary preferences, as in snake-like strict.  

Domestication requires flexibility.  If dogs only wanted fresh meat or could only eat fresh meat, they wouldn't be curled up on our sofas right now.  That just wouldn't have been possible.

"...domestication involves wild animals being transformed into something more useful to humans. Truly domesticated animals differ in various ways from their wild ancestors. These differences result from two processes: human selection of those individual animals more useful to humans than other individuals of the same species, and automatic evolutionary responses of the animals to the altered forces of natural selection operating in human environments as compared with wild environments."
--Jared Diamond Guns, Germs, and Steel p. 159

amymeme wrote:

Using the same logic as Jessica (and I do), Ami voraciously eats all sorts of foods so I consider him an omnivore.  He does, however, definitely have preferences: yes to peas and carrots, not to broccoli and brussels sprouts.  Also - the teeth thing - he thoroughly chews his peanuts and shredded wheat.  An savors them:)

By that "logic", my dog would be what since he devours cardboard like it's the greatest thing on earth? How long do you think he'd survive on his preferred diet of cardboard?

Also, by that "logic" not all cats would be true carnivores...which they are, and dogs eating a vegetarian diet would be herbivores...which they're not.

Not very long Val because he's a domesticated animal and unfortunately, his life is no longer subjected to pressures from biology alone.

Dogs, like the humans who have transformed their lives, eat garbage too.

Even undomesticated animals are subject to more pressures than biology alone. This is getting carried away.

I will bow out now...my kids need their momma. *children screaming in background*

Good luck. ^ +1 for biology trumps all

This has sorta become a version of the nature vs nurture debate. Kinda interesting, me thinks.

Huskyluv wrote:

amymeme wrote:

Using the same logic as Jessica (and I do), Ami voraciously eats all sorts of foods so I consider him an omnivore.  He does, however, definitely have preferences: yes to peas and carrots, not to broccoli and brussels sprouts.  Also - the teeth thing - he thoroughly chews his peanuts and shredded wheat.  An savors them:)

By that "logic", my dog would be what since he devours cardboard like it's the greatest thing on earth? How long do you think he'd survive on his preferred diet of cardboard?

Also, by that "logic" not all cats would be true carnivores...which they are, and dogs eating a vegetarian diet would be herbivores...which they're not.

Which is why any and all treats (to which people food belong) are very small part of his diet (I actually do not consider them part of his diet - merely a taste to tickle his fancy) are kept to calorie wise, less than 100 per day give or take, and not every day, , cut to pea size and carefully doled out and only when sitting or lying down! Is cardboard considered carbohydrate I know the cardboard slabs the pass for gluten free pizza are...

Jeff - sorry to hear about the diabetes, type 1, that takes some significant management attention. Yes, the biotechs do have there place in the world.