Some species, like rodents who reproduce stupidly fast, will eat their own young when under stress to recoup lost nutrients because they can't easily take their brood on the road to a safer location. It's easier to just start over with a new batch.
this post was submitted on 17 May 2026
234 points (96.8% liked)
Science Memes
20224 readers
1898 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
I've never seen a hamster grow to old age. They always die in some horrible way first. Get your kids a hamster! It's not so much a pet as it is a $25 life lesson on the fragility of mortality.
Apparently when a captive hamster does it it's usually caused by a nutrient deficiency. There was some research like a decade ago on how corn based diets didn't offer enough B3 and would create nearly 100% cannibalism rates, with similar problems in diets lacking in protein.
So if you've ever had a mad cannibal hamster mom don't worry, it was YOUR fault!
how come b3 deficiecy leads them to want to eat other hamsters?
Hard to say exactly but it causes dementia and increased aggression in humans as well, it's simply necessary for proper brain function. Brains need glucose to function and B3 is used in several vital functions related to both energy production and neural health.
It could also just be an instinctual trigger in hamsters that makes them think they're starving and tbf they kind of are.
What we can say is fixing the deficiencies almost entirely eliminated the cannibalism.
Sometimes the babies eat the mom too. Yes I speak from... I guess second-hand experience. First-hand would imply I was a matricidal cannibal hamster.
That is way more impressive. Any idiot can eat a baby.
Who would you rather fight: one mumma sized hamster or 5 baby sized hamsters?
Depends on the species of the mumma / baby used to size the hamsters.
Amoeba: I'm taking the 5 babies. It'll be harder but I still like my chances.
Oak Tree: I think my only chance is to take the babies, Though I'd be tempted to choose momma just to marvel at such a creature.
Elephant: No good options here, in a fair fight I'd lose either match. I think my only shot is to choose the momma hamster and try to win through trickery.
Hummingbird: I would lose via forfeit. They're too cute I can't do it.
Hummingbirds I get, but you're telling me scientists finally figured out how to get elephants to bone hamsters?
But can any baby eat an idiot?
No way. Babies can't even have fucking honey, my money is on the idiot.
Counterpoint: babies will chomp anything within an inch of their faces. Given enough time the idiot might just get gummed to death
I would love to find out but the man keeps denying my grant applications.
Great band name.
You can use the calories to do anything, even make more babies!
My son is almost 30. Is it too late?
—Saturn
Absolutely not honestly he might be thinking the same about you. Strike before struck upon
No. Harvest his organs /s
That's just extra calories
Mama hamster ain't letting no predators have all those nutrients.
Depriving the enemy of food so they are too weak to fight is a good tactic.
Hamsters out there reading Sun Tzu?
It’s funny how The Art of War is just a senior NCO (Sum Tzu) telling a bunch of idiot hereditary officers how to not lose wars with extremely basic advice because he’d seen what had happened if they didn’t have that
It's important to cut off supply lines, true.
What a grand epiphany, hamsters are Russia in the winter.
They just forgot the cheek pouch isn't meant for baby, but i wouldn't blame them, you're not you when you're panicking.
if the baby is gonna die either way, then you might as well get that valuable protein back
Hamsters are cannibals.
It’s weird, I know, because they’re so cute. They are though,
I listened to a lecture recently on the devouring mother archetype.
Do tell.
(If you don't mind typing up a comment lol)