# What Do Platypuses Eat?

> What platypuses eat: Carnivore (insect larvae, worms, shellfish), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes.

- **Species:** Platypus (*Ornithorhynchus anatinus*)
- **Conservation status:** Near Threatened
- **Diet:** Carnivore (insect larvae, worms, shellfish)
- **Habitat:** Freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes
- **Lifespan:** 6–15 years in the wild
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/platypus/what-do-platypus-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/platypus/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The platypus is a small, semi-aquatic Australian mammal with a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a beaver-like tail. It is one of only five mammal species that lay eggs (a monotreme), and males have a venomous spur. Platypuses typically live 6 to 15 years in the wild.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## A mammal that lays eggs

The platypus is a monotreme — one of just five surviving species of egg-laying mammals, alongside four echidna species. Females lay one to three leathery eggs in a riverbank burrow and curl around them until they hatch after about ten days. Like all mammals, the mother then feeds her young milk, though platypuses have no nipples and instead secrete milk through patches of skin.

## Help protect the Platypus

The platypus is listed as Near Threatened, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/platypus/what-do-platypus-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.