Poison shyness is when an animal is scared of eating something because they think it might be dangerous or poisonous. Just like how moms and dads tell their kids to not eat anything they find on the ground, or from a stranger, animals also have to be careful about what they eat in the wild.
Animals develop poison shyness by learning from their own experiences or from watching others of their species. For example, if an animal eats a certain plant or insect and gets sick or dies, they will remember that and avoid it in the future. They might even communicate this to other animals in their group through calls or body language.
Another way animals can learn to be poison-shy is by watching other animals. If a predator eats something and gets sick, other animals that witness this might learn to avoid that food as well.
In some cases, animals might even be born with an instinctual fear of certain things. For example, some animals are born with a natural fear of snakes, as many snakes are venomous and dangerous.
Overall, poison shyness is an important survival tactic for animals, as it helps them to avoid eating dangerous things and stay healthy in the wild.