sheep, also dog food

[Davroth]

So I was wondering, in the great scheme of things, are sheep sentient? And if so, are they still herded or do they herd themselves for wool? How does that work?

Also, what do ponies feed their carnivorous pets?

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Welp, we haven't had any questions about sheep... but they'd probably be in the farm animal category. They CAN be independent to an extent, but they kind of need a home, and a keeper. Like the cows we saw in Applebuck Season and Boast Busters. There was a barn in Boast Busters, from which Twilight Sparkle gathered milk from the cows there. In Applebuck Season, though, we also see that cows can clearly speak and think for themselves.

So, while animals normally found on a farm can speak and talk, and also explore to an extent, they need some kind of home and someone who may take care of them from time to time.

As for carnivorous pets... so far I only recall Gummy, and considering he has no teeth anyway... I wouldn't say he'd be much of a meat eater.

[Doc Hoof MD]

Doesn't Fluttershy throw some fish into the water for some animals in Dragonshy? Idk if that counts.

[Davroth]

Thank you, I will consider that.

As for carnivorous pets, I guess I put cats and dogs into that category, too. But they are more of omnivores irl, and I just read that they can be raised on a vegetarian diet. So, I can assume that all pets are fed with vegetarian food?

edit: Considering the fish, I dont remember that, but I will look that up right now. It's kind of weird, though.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

I DO remember the fish, actually. That is technically meat. But, as we've seen in show, somepony was keeping pet pigs (Call of the Cutie), and there are also cows (Applebuck Season) who are content to live in a barn, at least part of the time (Boast Busters). Pigs are used to gather truffles (word of Faust), and the cows were used for milk. So, farm animals, and animals that we normally eat, think and act on their own. But, I guess fish is an exception.

*ahem*

HOWEVER, in Winter Wrap Up, we also see Fluttershy give a basket of vegetables to a pair of Ferrets, possibly the same ones. So, I guess in Equestria, all animals are vegetarians or slight omnivores. Even Gilda, who is a Griffin (made of two predatory animals) is seen eating an apple.

[Davroth]

That's not how you treat a fellow vertebrate

Well ferrets can't live on Turnip alone. Fluttershy also feeds worms to birds, but cherishes butterflies. Way to pick your favourites, "good with animals"-Pony.

[Ancre]

Besides, it's cruel to eat Mr.Turnip too. He have been a very good friend to Pinkie.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

The way I see it, those fish that Fluttershy was feeding the ferrets died of natural causes. They've probably got an arrangement like how we have organ donor cards, when an animal passes away, its final act of generosity can be to feed some hungry carnivores.

[JCtheBrony]

Pinkie Pie eats hot dogs and Applejack trusses up turkeys and raises hogs.

The pets only follow their masters' examples.

[BlackFang]

Pinkie Pie eats hot dogs

there's also the already abused example of AJ eating marshmallows... and we all know where THOSE come from.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

Plenty of vegetarian hot dogs and marshmallows out there.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

hi hi

The way I see it, those fish that Fluttershy was feeding the ferrets died of natural causes. They've probably got an arrangement like how we have organ donor cards, when an animal passes away, its final act of generosity can be to feed some hungry carnivores.

That actually happened in the Dinotopia series. Dinosaurs who were old, weak, dying, etc. would travel together with an escort to the place where the T-Rex's were. This was to keep the carnivorous dinosaurs from going into inhabited territory and looking hunting. As long as they got fed, they stayed in their own territory. But if they didn't get food, they would become restless.

[Doc Hoof MD]

hi hi

The way I see it, those fish that Fluttershy was feeding the ferrets died of natural causes. They've probably got an arrangement like how we have organ donor cards, when an animal passes away, its final act of generosity can be to feed some hungry carnivores.

That is such a feel good theory. I can actually see that working in the FiM universe somehow. I do see it as more of a giving back to the land type of thing though.

[Davroth]

So she waits for worms to die from natural causes, too?

Invertebrates feel pain, too.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Hopefully the magic of Equestria makes cats partly omnivourous. they can go blind without certain proteins found only in meat IRL

[Dusty]

Dusty is not going to feed his snake apples... That is just crazy.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

Its certainly something that, barring some kind of crazy advanced super-science, could only work in a magical land like Equestria. And I bet Fluttershy doesn't have to keep track of everything, some of her animal friends like Angel seem to be able to help out. Even though she's got a hooves on approach, she's more of an orchestrator.

[BlackFang]

hi hi

Its certainly something that, barring some kind of crazy advanced super-science, could only work in a magical land like Equestria. And I bet Fluttershy doesn't have to keep track of everything, some of her animal friends like Angel seem to be able to help out. Even though she's got a hooves on approach, she's more of an orchestrator.

ugh, this post made me remember this one comic that pictured Angel managing this same exact stuff in a really awful mafia-ish way....

[MyLittlePonyTales]

ugh, this post made me remember this one comic that pictured Angel managing this same exact stuff in a really awful mafia-ish way....

I think I know which one you're talking about.

[Chonico]

hi hi

The way I see it, those fish that Fluttershy was feeding the ferrets died of natural causes. They've probably got an arrangement like how we have organ donor cards, when an animal passes away, its final act of generosity can be to feed some hungry carnivores.

I was reading the post and I agree that this seems like the most likely and probable thing to exist in the Equestria universe. But then I think about all the fear they hold for the Everfree Forest. The hydra tried to eat them in "Feeling Pinkie Keen" and Fluttershy is scared of the dragon in "Dragonshy" because a fully grown dragon could "eat a pony in one bite." To me this suggest that the concept of being devoured by predatory creatures is something very real to the ponies and by default very real to the Equestrian wild life.

Still, I'm basing this off of events that occurred in the Everfree Forest so it could simply be that the name is just really literal and everything in there behaves truely "Ever"-"free" and are not bound by such arrangements as Ginger Mint suggested.

Another thing I noticed, no one's touched on the dog food aspect of this Topic. That is something I would really like to know. I mean, my dog likes a veggie or two, mainly broccoli but I don't give him too much of it, but I know I couldn't keep him fed on veggies alone. Heck, if I tried he'd probably just break into my fridge first chance he got and eat all the hot dog weenies (He does love his hot dogs). And plus, I don't think there is any kind of dog food on the market right now that does not contain some form of meat or meat by product. I can't help think that trying to steer a dog towards a vegetarian lifestyle would end in the same result as the decrepit looking lion in that one Futurama episode.

Suggestions?

[JCtheBrony]

Another thing I noticed, no one's touched on the dog food aspect of this Topic. That is something I would really like to know. I mean, my dog likes a veggie or two, mainly broccoli but I don't give him too much of it, but I know I couldn't keep him fed on veggies alone. Heck, if I tried he'd probably just break into my fridge first chance he got and eat all the hot dog weenies (He does love his hot dogs). And plus, I don't think there is any kind of dog food on the market right now that does not contain some form of meat or meat by product. I can't help think that trying to steer a dog towards a vegetarian lifestyle would end in the same result as the decrepit looking lion in that one Futurama episode.

Suggestions?

Well, if you remember, Spike explicitly said owls eat mice. By extension, cats would eat mice. So by extending the extension, I would think the dogs would catch wild game perhaps? Mice, birds, you know. Small sort of creatures that would need to be eaten to keep from overpopulation.

And that is why Winona was never invited to Fluttershy's house.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

Uhg... I remember that comic BlackFang, although I had tried to scrub it from my memory. Thats... not quite what I was picturing though.

I seem to recall that there are some processes that pet food manufacturers use to get proteins out of soy byproducts, but I'm not sure if that will cover all the bases. Cats may be obligate carnivores, but I know dogs can do without given the right diet.

[Boss_Hoss1]

Hmmm, the past few responses brought another thought to mind. How long could a griffon live on a diet that would keep ponies from freaking out before they have to head off on a hunting trip or go fishing? I have to wonder if they are cat enough to go blind without any of that specific protein in their diet...

[MyLittlePonyTales]

I seem to recall that there are some processes that pet food manufacturers use to get proteins out of soy byproducts, but I'm not sure if that will cover all the bases. Cats may be obligate carnivores, but I know dogs can do without given the right diet.

There may be processes in our world, but also remember that Equestria is a bit low tech. Would they even be able to manufacture/process dog and cat food?

[JCtheBrony]

Hmmm, the past few responses brought another thought to mind. How long could a griffon live on a diet that would keep ponies from freaking out before they have to head off on a hunting trip or go fishing? I have to wonder if they are cat enough to go blind without any of that specific protein in their diet...

Considering griffins in mythology would eat horses?

How indeed.