Skip to main content

If your pet is annoying at mealtime, this video proves it could be so much worse

Feeding time at an eel farm is certainly an experience

We’ve all been there: Your dog hears the can opener or your cat hears the familiar sound of the automatic feeder dispensing food, and all of a sudden, there’s ruckus in your house. Barking, running, and, most of all, an excitable pet at your feet, following your every move so that they won’t waste a single second before chowing down.

We’ll be honest: As cute as our pets are, it can get a little annoying sometimes (especially if the can you happen to be opening is for your own dinner). That was, of course, until we saw this video of eels during feeding time at an eel farm. Now, we’ll happily take Fido and Ms. Whiskers any day of the week.

Posted to the r/AbruptChaos subreddit, this video shows what happens during feeding time at an eel farm. It all starts out innocently enough, with a large chunk of food dropped into the water. But, just like Fido, the eels pounce, instantly swarming the food until you don’t know where one eel ends and the next begins — and it all starts to look like something out of a horror movie.

“This looks like a Princess Mononoke demon,” Redditor onthatgas proposed, earning the top comment. Ninjanerd032 responded, “In Japan, they farm and eat a lot of eel. So, I imagine the Japanese creator(s) of Princess Mononoke could have been inspired by this.”

Redditor Savings-Principle-26 joked, “There are some Bond villains out there with sweaty palms watching this,” and bluenoessutherland added, “I’m thinking it probably is a bad idea to fall in.”

What are the eels eating?

 One major question that many Redditors have is what, exactly, the eels are eating (given that it looks a little more like something you’d pick up with a scooper and place in the trash than actual food). Eels in eel farms are fed a mixture of fish meal, wheat, soybean meal, and fish oil.

Why Japanese Eel Is So Expensive | So Expensive

One eel farmer acknowledged in an interview with Business Insider that feeding the eels in a way that ensures all get enough nutrients can be a difficult task.

While the job is hard, it’s also lucrative: These eels are being raised to be sold to restaurants — they’re considered a delicacy, and one kilogram of baby eels can cost around $35,000. A meal with an adult eel in it can cost up to $91. (One consequence of the high demand? The Japanese eel was classified as endangered in 2014.)

So, maybe it’s best to skip the kabayaki (a dish made with eel) and order a pizza instead. (Just watch out for your dog begging for those table scraps.)

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Nicole Carlino
A simple guide to what to feed tadpoles in your aquarium
A list of everything you should and shouldn't give baby frogs
Small child looks into a jar of tadpoles

Whether you’re taking in rescue tadpoles or planning to keep frogs as pets, you’ll have to adapt continually to their changing bodies. These amphibians undergo a metamorphosis and live as tadpoles for up to 14 weeks, though the last stage of the transition happens in just 24 hours.

You’ll put them to bed as a kid and come back to a teenager. Also, tadpoles are vegetarians, but frogs are carnivorous, so you should prepare for their diet to evolve as they do over the course of a few months. Here's what to feed tadpoles.

Read more
Where to put a dog crate in your house depends on these important factors
Know exactly where to place a dog crate to keep your pet safe, secure, and happy at home
Dog looking through black dog crate

Dogs like to sleep in so many places: in your bed, in their own bed, on a sunny spot on the floor, and in their dog crate, to name a few. But that's not the only thing a crate is helpful for. It can keep your canine friend out of mischief and give you peace of mind when you're out of the house. A dog crate should ideally be a place of security and comfort for your pup (and it can be even better if you personalize it for their own unique needs). Of course, this raises the question of where to put a dog crate.

Have you been Googling something like, "Where to put dog crate?" We've got you covered! Always remember that a dog crate is supposed to create a safe space for your pet, while also assisting in their training, so the way you utilize that space in your home is essential for both of you.

Read more
What you need to know about dogs with blue eyes
Here are the facts behind blue eyes in dogs, a rarity that comes with some health risks
Upside down brown dog

Blue-eyed dogs are striking, mostly because they are such an unusual sight. After all, even though all puppies are born with blue eyes, 95% of them will change color within the first eight to 10 weeks of life. And while there’s almost nothing sweeter than staring into the brown eyes of an adoring pet, those dog breeds with blue eyes are, well, a sight to behold.

If you’re lucky enough to own a dog with blue eyes, congratulations. If, like the rest of us, you’re just curious about what causes that beautiful abnormality, read on. We’ll share which dog breeds naturally have blue eyes, why that occurs, and if blue-eyed dogs are at risk for health problems as a result.

Read more