What Do Banthas Eat In Star Wars (& What Is A Bantha Fodder)?
The Star Wars universe is full of different creatures that are native to different planets in different star systems across the known galaxy. That said, on the planet of Tatooine, we always see the Tusken Raiders traveling and living alongside Banthas, which are their faithful companion in the desert sands. But, considering that Tusken Raiders and Banthas live in the desert, what do Banthas eat in Star Wars?
Banthas are known to eat a substance called Bantha fodder, which consists of different plants that can be found growing all over Tatooine. Bantha fodder, due to its smelly nature, is also used as an insult in the Star Wars universe. And surprisingly, as seen in The Book of Boba Fett, Banthas can also eat meat.
Even though Banthas are never going to be given any spotlight, we have come to learn more about them in The Book of Boba Fett during the titular character’s time in the sands of Tatooine. Of course, it is also interesting to learn more about the different creatures that you can find in the vast Star Wars galaxy.
What Do Banthas Eat On Tatooine?
Throughout the long history of the Star Wars franchise, we have seen plenty of different creatures that are native to the different planets scattered across the many star systems in the galaxy. That said, we have also noticed that Star Wars tends to focus a bit too much on the desolate desert planet of Tatooine, which is also home to unique creatures.
Some of the most unique natives on the planet of Tatooine include the Tusken Raiders, a nomadic group of people that live in the desert sands of the planet. And while Tusken Raiders tend to stay away from other people, they live together with creatures known as Banthas, which are also their primary means of traveling through the desert.
But, as mentioned, the Tusken Raiders and Banthas primarily live on the deserts of Tatooine. And you already know that there aren’t a lot of things growing in the desert. So, what do Banthas eat on Tatooine?
While it might be true that there aren’t a lot of things growing in the deserts of Tatooine, what is also true is that there are still some plants that can grow on the desert sands from time to time. In most cases, the Tusken Raiders consolidate all of the different plants and greens that grow in the desert to produce what we call Bantha fodder.
Basically speaking, the primary source of food for the Banthas is Bantha fodder, which is something that these animals have been eating for as long as they have existed.
What Is A Bantha Fodder?
If you are wondering what Bantha fodder is, this is simply a type of food that is eaten by the Banthas on Tatooine. It is made from different plants that grow in the deserts of the planet. While we do not know which plants are used to make Bantha fodder, what we do know is that the Teggi fungal root is one of the main ingredients that Tusken Raiders use when making Bantha fodder.
One of the main characteristics of Bantha fodder is that it smells really bad. This means that one of the ingredients used for making Bantha fodder probably also smells really bad, and this could be the Teggi fungal root that is often used as one of the main ingredients.
What Does Poodoo Mean In Star Wars?
Bantha fodder is also a term used as an insult in the entire Star Wars universe. Alternatively, it is also called poodoo fodder in Huttese, and this term is also used for the same purpose—as an insult.
The reason why Bantha fodder is a term that is often used to insult people is that Bantha fodder, as mentioned, carries a really foul odor. This odor is one of the main characteristics of Bantha fodder. Another reason why Bantha or poodoo fodder is used as an insult is that Banthas are generally peaceful creatures that are at the bottom of the food chain. Being considered the food of a generally harmless animal means that you are the lowest of the low.
Are Banthas Herbivores?
At this point, you probably think that Banthas are herbivores. After all, they eat Bantha fodder, which is primarily made of plants and other types of herbs growing on the sands of Tatooine. Of course, Banthas resemble animals such as cows and mammoths, which are all herbivores. But are Banthas actually herbivores?
In episode 4 of The Book of Boba Fett, we were able to see a brief and touching moment between Boba Fett and his Bantha companion shortly after Fett’s Tusken Raider tribe was massacred by a group of Nikto Riders. Boba Fett, after scouting Jabba’s former palace, told his Bantha that there were too many guards patrolling the area. He also told his companion that they would be getting some food.
As Boba Fett was seen roasting something while camping out with his Bantha in the desert, we see the Bantha licking its lips while the bounty hunter was eating some kind of meat. He promptly threw a piece of meat over to his Bantha, which did not hesitate to eat it.
That said, it could be possible that Banthas are omnivores and are not strictly herbivores, given the fact that The Book of Boba Fett allowed us to see a Bantha eating meat on-screen. This might explain why Banthas don’t go extinct despite the lack of available plants and herbs in Tatooine.
What Is Blue Milk (Bantha Milk)?
While the Tusken Raiders do not eat or use their Banthas for other products because they see these animals as companions, the other races living in Tatooine actually make use of Banthas as a source of food. One such type of food or drink that is quite popular in Tatooine is blue milk, which is actually the milk that the Bantha produces.
Blue milk is just the milk that a female Bantha produces. This is simply rich blue-colored milk that is often consumed by people all over the galaxy and not just in Tatooine. Blue milk is popularly served as a beverage in establishments all over Tatooine and can also be processed to create different products such as Bantha butter, blue milk cheese, and blue milk ice cream. In a way, blue milk isn’t too different from the cow’s milk that we consume in the real world.