* Age: Young platypuses eat more than adults.
* Sex: Males may eat more than females due to their larger size.
* Availability of food: Platypuses will eat more when food is plentiful and less when it's scarce.
General Estimate:
* Platypuses are known to consume about 20% of their body weight in food each day.
* This means a typical adult platypus, weighing around 1-2 kg, might eat 200-400 grams of food daily.
Diet:
Their diet primarily consists of:
* Insects: They are opportunistic feeders and consume a wide range of aquatic insects, including larvae, nymphs, and adults.
* Crustaceans: They also eat shrimp, crayfish, and other small crustaceans.
* Worms: Earthworms and other types of worms are part of their diet.
* Small fish: Occasionally, they may capture and consume small fish.
Hunting Method:
They hunt by using their electroreceptors located on their beaks to detect the electrical fields generated by their prey. They then use their duck-like bill to scoop up food from the riverbed.
Remember, these are just general estimates. The exact amount of food a platypus eats will depend on many individual factors.