What does autocoprophagy mean?
Autocoprophagy is the act of an organism consuming its own feces. The word combines Greek roots meaning 'self,' 'dung,' and 'eating,' and belongs to the same family of terms as coprophagy, the broader name for feces-eating in general. In biology and veterinary medicine, autocoprophagy is a neutral descriptive term rather than a judgment: many animals practice it routinely and even necessarily. Rabbits and other lagomorphs, for example, produce special soft droppings called cecotropes rich in B vitamins and protein, which they re-ingest to absorb nutrients fermented by gut bacteria — a process sometimes called autocoprophagy. Rodents such as rats and guinea pigs show similar behavior. In domestic pets like dogs, however, it is usually considered an undesirable habit that may stem from diet, boredom, or learned behavior, while in humans it is rare and generally classified as a form of pica associated with underlying medical or psychiatric conditions. Though unlikely to appear in casual conversation, the term is precise and useful in clinical and zoological contexts where ordinary language would be vague or euphemistic.
nounThe act or practice of an organism eating its own feces. It is the self-directed form of coprophagy, a behavior documented chiefly in animals and occasionally in humans as a medical condition.
- The consumption of one's own fecal matter, whether as a normal physiological behavior in some animals (such as rabbits and rodents re-ingesting cecotropes) or as an abnormal behavior (pica) in humans and domesticated animals.
"In some rodent species, autocoprophagy is not a sign of distress but a vital way of reabsorbing nutrients produced in the hindgut."
"Veterinarians often reassure owners that autocoprophagy in young puppies is common and usually outgrown."
"The paper examined autocoprophagy among captive primates as a possible indicator of dietary deficiency."
Rarely pluralized; the noun is normally used as an uncountable mass noun referring to the behavior itself. A plural appears only when counting distinct instances or types across cases or species.
"The review catalogued documented autocoprophagies across several mammalian orders."
Rabbits owe their survival partly to autocoprophagy — they eat special nutrient-packed droppings directly from their own bodies to squeeze every last vitamin out of their food.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of autocoprophagy
The word is built from three Greek elements: 'autos' (self), 'kopros' (dung or feces), and '-phagia' (eating, from 'phagein,' to eat). It is a modern scientific formation combining these classical roots, following the pattern of established compounds like 'coprophagy' and 'sarcophagy.' Its cognates therefore include other '-phagy' terms such as entomophagy (insect-eating) and words from 'kopros' such as coprolite (fossilized dung).
How autocoprophagy is actually used
A clinical and zoological term, largely confined to veterinary, scientific, and medical writing; it carries a strongly negative or distasteful connotation in everyday contexts. In animal-behavior literature it is treated neutrally, since for species like rabbits it is a normal and necessary part of digestion.
Easily confused with autocoprophagy
Coprophagy is the general term for feces-eating by any animal, while autocoprophagy specifically means an animal eating its own feces.
Autocannibalism refers to consuming parts of one's own body such as skin or tissue, not specifically feces.