I'm sure this has likely been asked before, but what do you typically imagine as a bat pony's diet? As in, the food necessary for them to survive; they could eat something else, but it wouldn't be as nutritious. Their main supply.

This could include things like:
Normal pony diet (fruits, vegetables, oats, other herbivore stuff)
Blood (a classic, considering the vampire theme, and one I like)
Nectar/Fruit Suction (kinda like a butterfly; they suck the juices right out)
Insects/Grubs (not one I've seen commonly, but certainly interesting)

So what do you think?

7175645
I usually picture them as being omnivorous. But I like to think they eat insects too. XD

7175663 Same here, only with just enough off from the regular pony diet that regular ponies look at them strange when their sandwich starts wriggling.

"Hey, that's how you can tell it's fresh."

I like to think that their diets vary with where/how they live, a thestral living in Canterlot would eat normal pony food, but one living in the Everfree would drink nectar from flowers.

7175645
First let me state that it's always nice to see another fan of Nyx.
Second, I kinda agree with 7175663, but I more so think of them as being made up of the differing variants of the species.
Basically in my head cannon their still ponies and have a pony diet, but they supplement it with the diet of the bat species their of, and physically differ with said breeds attributes. So some will eat insects/grubs like the little brown bat, some others will be flower/fruit lovers who are really into mangoes and be fluffier with bigger wings, then some others would be meat eaters with sharper teeth; and then the rare blood sucker here an there.

The same or at least similar idea I use when I think of the other Lunar ponies: I'E. the saber-horn's AKA lunar unicorns, all hold varying features to felines; and night-walkers AKA lunar earth ponies, also hold varying physical traits to the different breeds of fox. And they all have the little mystic/magical quirks that are attributed to each species.

The idea also works with the regular/solar pones as well.

Personally, I think of bat ponies to be biologically omnivorous (and by extension ponies in general), but that's a bit of a murky distinction to draw when there's plenty of cases of real life herbivores eating meat off carcasses, sometimes fresher. Its nothing impossible for the stomach to digest, more like the kind of teeth the animal has to eat with, usually.

I find the diet then, is something that would be divided among cultural lines. I can see two main diets forming: One based on meat and blood consumption, and one based on fruit and more conventional pony food. Though things like insects and fungi could be a universal ingredient, just used differently. There could be a group of bat ponies that hunt and drink blood off farmed animals - its by no means their only food source, but ponies being ponies won't take notice of the other parts, and choose to discriminate based on the 'barbaric' carnivorism. On the flip side the other group of fruit-eaters would be seen as denying their biological natures by strictly having a more pony-like vegetarian diet.

Since everyone likes linking bat ponies to Nightmare Moon I can see some of this disdain coming from historical events. But I also figure that there's bound to be some biological benefit for the 'bloodsuckers' than just pride. A diet with meat and blood could be like a power-up for them, through some magic shenanigans, bat ponies that eat meat and drink blood would be the likely cause of the vampire bat stereotypes. Especially if they have keener senses and reflexes and are generally stronger and faster than average. Tales will get exaggerated over time.

Fruit bats, then, would not get these benefits, since their foods are more plant based. But I can see them being more numerous and having better connections with the outside world and other races, since its just easier to grow plans than farm livestock. Plus no pesky cultural taboos getting in the way of diplomacy.

7175708

The distinction of bloodsucker vs. herbivore thestrals, especially the way you describe it, reminds me of an old question:

T'is it better to be loved or feared?

Personally I like to imagine that the bloodsucker bat ponies are definitely less liked than the herbivores, but are also typically more respected, and more likely to get military or guard positions; i.e. Luna's royal guard. Herbivores integrate easier, but also means they typically aren't taken as seriously, and receive less attention.

7175663

I like to imagine that the insect-eaters are kinda treated like the weird, introverted middle child who likes My Little Pony for some reason.

...

cough

7175713

I'm going to start using that term now.
"I'm the insect eater of our family."

7175715

I find the idea of insect-eaters being stereotyped as weak, gross, outcasts- but in actuality being insanely fit, healthy, strong, and attractive- hilarious.

7175713

7175645
In my headcanon ponies in general are omnivores. Batponies are omnivores too, but unlike ponies they prefer meat. Also they are the only pony tribe which feel no disgust when they taste meat.

Of course there was the episode where starlight disrupted the rainboom and bat pony guard rainbow had slitted eyes in uniform but regular with the helmet off.

At any rate I would guess fruit.

7175711
Actually, both. I thought up these ideas for a personal version of Equestria I could use to set stories in. I've yet to publish anything from there online, but as far as bat ponies go, I see them as being seperate 'nations', or city-states at the very least. Distance allows for rumours to spread and stereotypes to grow fantastical.

I can see the vampire bats living in mountainous caves and rocky hills, which due to the lack of wide open space plays into their more meat based diets. Fruit bats (because its a real term why not) would be the kind of forested village so many fans thought Hollow Shades would have been. Though personally I'm a fan of the treetop kind. They can fly after all. These bats would be the ones most interacting with the wider world, and ponies especially. But there's always bound to be some bad stereotypes, ones which I figure the vampire bats would be all to happy to play into.

Historically, I can see most if not all of the entire race being slowly ostracized and pushed out since Nightmare Moon until they'd form their own place. Further along there'd be a split between those that favoured clinging on to their legacy vs those wanting to distance themselves. After all, they don't consider the crimes of their forefathers to be their own. But the easiest thing to focus on is always going to be the fangs and blood drinking, so thats what most will remember.

Since the carnivorous-leaning bats would be the 'outcasts' of larger society, I can see them making decent friends with some Changelings (if you believe in multiple independent hives) actually, as fellow outcasts. They have common real estate preferences at least.

7175719
Bugs are insanely protein dense per weight compared to meat. It makes sense.