Does the rabbit chew the cud? Bible inerrancy supported!

Rabbits and hares do not have a chambered stomach like cattle do. They also do not regurgitate their food. What they do is called coprophagy.Vertebrates lack enzymes to digest cellulose in plant material. Some bacteria can fully digest plant material, and are harbored by animals for that purpose. Rats and rabbits redigest cellulose another way ... they eat their partially digested feces and redigest the material. The efficiency of coprophagy (poop eating) approaches the digestive efficiency of ruminants.Consequently, rabbits are sometimes called "pseudo-ruminants." Coprophagy is practiced by all rabbits, and allows utilization of microbial protein and fermentation products, as well as recycling of certain minerals.The droppings commonly seen excreted by rabbits are fairly large, dry and ovoid, excreted singly (called "smart pills" down South), and consist of fibrous material, while cecotrophs are smaller, occur in moist grape clusters stuck together with mucus, and are finely textured and stinky (yummy). Cecotrophs are seldom seen because the rabbit nibbles them as they emerge from the anus and swallows them whole Normal rabbits don't allow cecotrophs to fall to the ground unless the rabbit suffers from a mechanical problem (obesity) or illness (indegestion?).So here we have the difference between kosher mammals (vomit eaters) and and shagetz mammals (poop eaters).Now, I think anyone with a lot of time on their hands, even 3,000 years ago, and nothing better to do than watch animals eating would have had the observatory skills to have distinguished the difference.And apparently someone did.Peace.

Ken: "Please read though my 40 something question survey."Ab: You got to be friggin' kiddin' me?Ken: "You do not have to write down your answers."Ab: Whew!Ken: "Just go through it. it will answer your questions."Ab: What questions? I have no questions about rabbits and cud. Rabbits eat poop is all the answer I need.Ken: "Also, I do not think you read my essay."Ab: Damn, Ken ... and on the very first guess, too! You're good. Of course the chances of a correct first guess were 50/50 anyway.Ken: "I also think you did not read my first post."Ab: Yeah, and I also read three other posts which you swore were your terminal posts.Ken: Please read my essay first.Ab: Hey, man, it's Friday afternoon ... MILLER TIME!Ken: "Then post to the string."Ab: Even if I get home tonight half soused?Ken: "I just ask for informed criticism."Ab: Oh, am I invading sacred turf here? Phfffffft.

Ken: Be that as it may or may not, it remains that the rabbit does not chew cud to begin with. The rabbit eats unfinished poop. Poop-chewing may appear similar to or the same as cud-chewing to the unscientific observer. I often thought as a child that tobacco chewers were poop-eaters until my dad pointed out they were simply semi-toothless, spittle-drewling crackers. However, it remains the fact that it's unsafe to eat rabbits during warm weather due to a specific blood disease they suffer. So since Egypt and the Sinai is usually a warm place, the prohibition regarding eating rabbits remains a good thing whether or not they chew cud and walk on furry toes rather than cloven hooves. Peace in the Polk Patch.