Humans aren't the only animals that get stoned

slimvictor

slimvictor

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Animals in the wild will also voluntarily and repeatedly consume psychoactive plants and fungi. Birds, elephants, and monkeys have all been reported to enthusiastically seek out fruits and berries that have fallen to the ground and undergone natural fermentation to produce alcohol. In Gabon, which lies in the western equatorial region of Africa, boars, elephants, porcupines, and gorillas have all been reported to consume the intoxicating, hallucinogenic iboga plant (Tabernanthe iboga). There is even some evidence that young elephants learn to eat iboga from observing the actions of their elders in the social group. In the highlands of Ethiopia, goats cut the middleman out of the Starbucks business model by munching wild coffee berries and catching a caffeine buzz.

cont at
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/30/humans-arent-the-onl.html
 
Animals drink sweet things. Fermented things are ultra sweet. They're not looking to get a fix, they're trying to survive. Those monkeys you see on beaches taking beers, look again, all cocktails with tons of sugar and fruit.

In fact most animals avoid getting any type of trip. There was something about sleepy grass that horses/cattle ate and slept for a couple days and then never touched again. At least I think it was sleepy grass. They didn't like getting the acid-like trip from it.

These animal's don't really have a lot to eat unless jungle animals somehow can survive on grass alone. They'll eat anything, non-psychoactive mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, leaves with a very high cyanide content(this one is documented, can't remember which animal though).
 
The Network said:
Animals drink sweet things. Fermented things are ultra sweet. They're not looking to get a fix, they're trying to survive. Those monkeys you see on beaches taking beers, look again, all cocktails with tons of sugar and fruit.

In fact most animals avoid getting any type of trip. There was something about sleepy grass that horses/cattle ate and slept for a couple days and then never touched again. At least I think it was sleepy grass. They didn't like getting the acid-like trip from it.

These animal's don't really have a lot to eat unless jungle animals somehow can survive on grass alone. They'll eat anything, non-psychoactive mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, leaves with a very high cyanide content(this one is documented, can't remember which animal though).
Click to expand...

Actually, the article addresses this point.
It concludes that the animals, in fact, do want to get high.
Maybe you should read the whole thing and see if it changes your mind?
 
slimvictor said:
Actually, the article addresses this point.
It concludes that the animals, in fact, do want to get high.
Maybe you should read the whole thing and see if it changes your mind?
Click to expand...

They're basically saying "We have no idea why they do this, possibly because they need sugar, but we're going to say we guessed and make ourselves seem correct."

Tiny amount? That's because they don't like getting stoned. Animals are different than people, they would freak out if they started having visuals. Many pets have to be 'put to sleep' when they go even partially blind because they freak out and hurt themselves. Same thing with animals. Tiny amount because they don't want it.




Now cats and catnip? They like that because it's like a turbo orgasm x100. Mushrooms aren't euphoric usually. Especially amanitas. IIRC they don't actually have psilocin or psilocybin. They're poisonous and not that fun even though they have psychedelics in them.
 
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The Network said:
Animals drink sweet things. Fermented things are ultra sweet. They're not looking to get a fix, they're trying to survive. Those monkeys you see on beaches taking beers, look again, all cocktails with tons of sugar and fruit.

In fact most animals avoid getting any type of trip. There was something about sleepy grass that horses/cattle ate and slept for a couple days and then never touched again. At least I think it was sleepy grass. They didn't like getting the acid-like trip from it.

These animal's don't really have a lot to eat unless jungle animals somehow can survive on grass alone. They'll eat anything, non-psychoactive mushrooms, poisonous mushrooms, leaves with a very high cyanide content(this one is documented, can't remember which animal though).
Click to expand...

In Food of the Gods Mckenna discusses this particular group of apes that travel several miles every once in awhile to eat a specific type of psychoactive grass. The grass looks very similar to other non-psychoactive and even poisonous grasses, but they seek out this one in particular.

I don't know how valid this story is, and it's been years since I've read the book so my memory of the exact details are a little cloudy.
 
^Yeah, I remember that story. Mckenna actually speculated that the evolution of human consciousness got a jump start when apes started eating psychedelics.
 
Anyone remember the movie The Bear (L'Ours) from J.J. Annaud?

In it the little bear eats some magic mushrooms and there's a whole trip seen through his eyes that lasts a good 5 minutes IIRC.
 
i'm kind of surprised by the fact that animals looking to "get high" seem to go for 'psychedelics' and not 'narcotics'
( wouldn't it make more sense that an animal would go for a "hard"narcotic over a psychedelic? you'd they could appreciate a basic depressant/stimulant over tripping)
 
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