Why don't zombies ever try to eat other zombies?

Question

In the zombie movies, you see big hoards of them all in a group chasing one human, and one zombie will pass right by another zombie without even looking at him; If zombies are so hungry, why don't they eat the other zombies around them?

Answer 1

Zombies can always tell who else is a zombie, apart from in a few of the more humorous zombie films. Zombies do not fight other zombies, do not eat them, and mingle seamlessly with them. They only attack the living. Some chemical interaction must occur: The dead can either smell who is dead, or, can smell who is alive.

1. If the dead can smell each other, and therefore know who to ignore, some sort of zombie pheromone must be released by the dead. If the cause of the disease is a virus, perhaps by-products of the virus' actions are detectable. Perhaps this by-product is unpleasant: If the zombies need to eat fresh meat, then decaying meat may contain poisons that they can detect.

2. Or perhaps it is the living who produce normal pheromones, and the dead can merely smell these (and they smell like food). This would however imply that sometimes the living could be smelled out by the dead, whereas in zombie films this never happens. In 28 Days Later one character hides behind a mirror and in a kitchen cupboard. The dead would surely be able to smell them clearly, and find them.

In both cases, it is strange that in crowded rooms full of the dead and the living fighting one another, the dead never accidentally attack each other. Even fully conscious, thinking and functioning living Humans do it, why don't zombies who have largely impaired brain function sometimes attack the wrong target? Point (1) above looks more likely, but perhaps both points play a role: The zombies can both smell the unpleasant flesh of other zombies, but also smell the fresh flesh of living humans.

Answer 2

Because zombies can sense anything living. They crave human brains most of all. In every zombie I have ever seen, the zombie eats the human brain and they in turn become zombies also. They envy the humans because they have something that the zombies want...a brain. Personally, I wthink it would be easier to go see the Wizard of Oz like the scarecrow did. Because once they start eating human brains the humans fight back and destroy them.

Answer 3

Yea, and why don't they ever finish? I mean...they start munching on a victim long enough for that victim to turn into another zombie, then they chase another victim.

And why don't they just eat the food in people's houses instead of the people? Seems like a waste of effort to me.

Answer 4

Because they only eat the flesh of the living. The other zombies are dead.

Answer 5

Great question! Don't know the answer to it though.

Although...Stephen King changed all that in his book The Cell. If you like zombie stuff, this is a must read!

Answer 6

Zombies taste weird!

Answer 7

hey zombies have taste bud too - the other zombies doesn't taste as nice as us living things ;p

Answer 8

Most species do not cannibalize each other. I am sure it is the same with Zombies.

Answer 9

that's a good question. but i don't have a good answer for you but maybe they like live fresh people instead of ones that are already dead.

Answer 10

They like fresh meat.