The Eating Habits of Animals

1. The Eating Habits of Animals

2. Animals have to eat their food in order to get energy to live. Different animals eat different types of food. An animal’s mouth, teeth, and even body structure all help it to eat a certain type of food. You can often figure out what types of food an animal eats by looking at its body and mouth.

3. Herbivores Herbivores are animals that eat only plants and plant material. Herbivores are usually smaller than carnivores. Herbivores may eat leaves, berries, roots, or even tree bark. They usually need to eat often during the day in order to have enough energy.

4. Herbivore Teeth Herbivores have teeth that are rather flat. They need to chew a lot in order to break down plant materials into very small pieces. Having flat teeth helps herbivores to chew easier.

5. Examples of Herbivores • Giraffes • Panda Bears • Sheep • Rabbits • Cows • Horses • Elephants

6. Carnivores Carnivores are animals that eat only meat. These animals are usually fairly large and they have to eat other animals in order to obtain enough energy. Some carnivores eat insects and bugs; some eat small animals, such as rats or fish; while other carnivores eat bigger animals, such as wolves or even buffalo.

7. Carnivore Teeth Carnivores have only sharp teeth in their mouths. They need sharp teeth in order to tear apart meat. They usually don’t chew their food, they just swallow it in the size of the pieces that they tear off.

8. Examples of Carnivores • Wolves • Lions • Eagles • Cheetahs • Anteaters • Walruses • Sharks

9. Omnivores Omnivores are animals that can eat both plant materials and meat. They can get their food more easily than other animals because they can eat more types of food than either herbivores or carnivores.

10. Omnivore Teeth Omnivores have sharp teeth like carnivores, but they also have flat teeth like herbivores. Usually, the carnivorous teeth are in the front of the mouth, which allows omnivores to bite into pieces of meat. The flatter teeth are usually behind the sharp teeth, which allows them to chew all their food.

11. Examples of Omnivores • Humans • Chickens • Chimpanzees • Bears • Pigs • Skunks • Turtles