Seems more likely that the underlying genetic defect or pathology would be sufficient to explain refusing food, which would explain wasting away, which would explain increased lethargy and lying around in the open...without having to invoke a suicide mechanism.

No need to invoke it for the "good of the species" either. If the genetic defect is serious enough to impair reproductive success, it will be selected against anyway...

[ Hide Replies ]

• Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - KirosReptiles, Sat Oct 11 10:45:00 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - joeysgreen, Mon Oct 13 21:11:30 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - KirosReptiles, Thu Oct 16 16:34:37 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - psilocybe, Wed Oct 22 12:25:19 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - psilocybe, Wed Oct 22 12:28:19 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - Kikai, Wed Oct 22 13:11:45 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - snakeguy88, Mon Oct 27 21:49:50 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - polaris, Tue Oct 14 08:21:03 2003
• Wrong idea - try a health problem instead - rayhoser, Wed Oct 15 05:57:16 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - aratadude, Thu Nov 13 14:22:18 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - wintermute, Wed Oct 15 15:17:11 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - serpentinedreams, Thu Oct 16 00:27:39 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - Kikai, Thu Oct 16 09:21:27 2003
• Thanks for replies; it was an interesting aside n/m - KirosReptiles, Thu Oct 16 16:39:26 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - deuce, Thu Oct 16 19:25:20 2003
• RE: Suicide mechanisms in reptiles - jones, Mon Oct 20 02:14:40 2003