Why don't bulls like the color red?

Question

Well thank you very much Heather H you gave me a really good informative answer and the answer to a question I've wondered about for a while now. Again thank you :)

-Ashley

Answer 1

i dont know but thats a good question

Answer 2

This is actually a myth.  Bulls are colorblind so they can't even distinguish this color.  In bull fighting, it is actually the movement of the fabric that irritates the bull.

Answer 3

They don't. They are actually color blind. It's the motion that catches their attention.  

Answer 4

Essentially they just don't like the guy holding the cape. Many people believe red reminds them of blood or it just irritates them but in fact, bulls are colorblind. They just get irritated by the man or the flapping cape.

Answer 5

No, they're indifferent to it, they're colorblind. A bull bred for bullfighting reacts to movement, so flapping cape is irritating, regardless of it's actual color.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_Bulls_hate_...

Spanish bullfighters bait the bulls with red cloth - unnecessarily though - bulls are color-blind and would react to any color whatsoever. The important factor is the mere movement of the bullfighter.

http://www.webexhibits.org/pigments/indi...

                    So bull has nothing to do with red color !!!

Answer 6

Mythbusters tested the myth and they also talk about a bull's vision (they are NOT colorblind)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters...

Myth statement: The color red can infuriate a bull and make them charge.

Status: Busted

To test this myth without putting themselves in danger, the Build Team constructed three fake matadors that would carry differently colored flags. First, they placed stationary flags of different colors near a bull. The bull charged the red, white, and blue flags with equal ferocity, even when all three flags were out at once. Using a remote controlled clothes line, the Build Team managed to prove that the bulls were angered by movement rather than color. They then placed the matador dummies in the ring, each one dressed in a different color. The bull charged the white dummy first, the blue dummy second, and the red dummy last. Finally, Tory went into the ring dressed in a red jumpsuit and had to stay still while two professional cowboys moved around the ring to try to draw the bull's attention. The bull chased the cowboys for a short time, but ignored Tory, which proved the theory that bulls concentrated on movement more than color.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=...

Mythbusters put ammo in an oven and see if red makes bulls mad.

Answer 7

Those guys don't know the answer i do. It is because bulls are color blind except for the color red it is all they see in color so when they see it the naturally go after it. believe me. Go to this site to learn more about bull fighting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfightin...

Answer 8

bulls are not like humans, they cannot see colors as we all can...all they see is black and white...so it wud be wrong to say that bulls ahte red color...its just a belief that bulls hate red color, but the real reason is that waving a cloth (not only red cloth, but any colored cloth), makes the bull aggresive.

Answer 9

to be honest they dont hate the color the color red just blinds them

Answer 10

bulls dont actually get agrivated by the color red specificallpy, it's the motion that upsets them. in fact, many bull fights in spain use green or yellow flags to lure in the bull, but red is just the popular color.

this motion upsets them so much because prior to the fights, they are raised on calm, more serene farms. certain bulls are raised specifically for fighting and they are purposly raised on such farms so when they get into the obnoxious stadium with all kinds of commotion, they feel threatened, thus fighting the matador.  

Answer 11

It has nothing to do with the color.  It is just the movement of the cape.  Bulls are color blind.  That's why the bulls chase after people in the running of the bulls...it has nothing to do with what color people are wearing its the fact that they are running.

Answer 12

its not color that makes bull charge but movement. it was proven on a TV show that the color red has nothing to do with them charging. They had a man stand still in a red suit and a bull ran all around him and did he did nothing as soon as the man started moving he charged. they did the same thing with him in diff colors and he still charged at movment. so color will not make them charge but movment will. hope that helps