History Main / VegetarianVampire

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'': The Cullens call themselves "vegetarians" because they feed on animals, not people. It is the reason why they have golden eyes, as vampires who feed on human blood have dark red eyes. Obviously it's not the same as RealLife vegetarianism; it's more of a Cullen family in-joke. The analogy is that since vampires naturally thrive on human blood, feeding on anything else is akin to eating vegetables; you can survive, but never become satisfied from them. However, they aren't perfect - Edward went through a five-year period (1927-1931) where he left the family and fed exclusively on human criminals, but eventually gave it up and returned to his animal diet; Emmett is mentioned to have lost control around two "singers" - humans whose blood smelled particularly attractive to him; and Jasper, among the newest members of the coven and the one still having difficulty adjusting from his previously human diet, instigates the events of ''New Moon'' when Bella's paper cut blood briefly overwhelms him. The Cullen family's allied coven, the Denali, also practice the same diet and have the same golden eyes.

* In ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192255/ The Littlest Vampire]]'', vampires survive on cow blood; rather than death, the cows briefly gain vampiric powers as a result.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': By 2022, Louis de Pointe du Lac has become one, only feeding on animals or donor blood (he also has one man who allows him to drink from him). He claims not to have killed any human since 2000. Louis also had a stint of vegetarianism from 1917 to 1937 where he limited his diet to animal blood (the one blip during this time period is when he drained Alderman Fenwick to death, a racist AssholeVictim). However, it ends when Lestat and Claudia convince him to resume eating humans after they criticize Louis for his air of superiority for being a vegetarian.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': By 2022, Louis has become one, only feeding on animals or donor blood (he also has one man who allows him to drink from him). He claims not to have killed any human since 2000. Louis also had a brief stint of vegetarianism in 1917 where he limited his diet to animal blood, but it ended when he drained Alderman Fenwick to death, a racist AssholeVictim.

* In ''LightNovel/StrikeTheBlood'', Kojou satisfies his blood lust by drinking his own blood through {{Nosebleed}}s (OurVampiresAreDifferent in this universe; their blood lust activates whenever they are sexually aroused, so in his case, he gets a nosebleed as a result). This however has the side effect to limit the access he has to his powers, as his familiars refuse to acknowledge him as their legitimate master as long as he hasn't drunk human blood. [[spoiler:He eventually does feed on his LoveInterest Yukina, but with her consent due to the need they had of his powers at the time, and he makes sure not to suck her dry.]]

* In ''LightNovel/TrinityBlood'' the vampires can substitute a substance called Aqua Vitae for blood, though it apparently tastes horrible. The manga and books state that "water of life" is donor blood in capsules that are dissolved in water. If it tastes bad, it's likely because it's ''disgustingly thin'' for their tastes. The New Human Empire considers selling your blood a decent equivalent to "welfare" for their lower-class human subjects.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': By 2022, Louis has become one, only feeding on animals or donor blood (he also has one man who allows him to drink from him). He claims not to have killed any human since 2000.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': By 2022 Louis' become one, only feeding on animals or donor blood (he also has one man who allows him to drink from him). He claims not to have killed any human since 2000.

** ''VideoGame/{{Disgaea 4|A Promise Unforgotten}}'' brings us [[HonorBeforeReason Valvatorez]], who's been sustaining himself off of sardines ''for four-freakin'-hundred years'' as a promise to another individual. His powers have waned as a result, but he intends to find an alternative in regaining his power despite this setback.

* Arcueid from ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' doesn't actually need blood since she's a "True Ancestor", but she does crave it badly, and yet she can mostly fight off the urge to bite. [[spoiler:That crave is caused by Roa by offering a rose with some of his blood on it. The results are devastating to say the least.]]

* In “Vampires in the Lemon Grove,” a short story about an undead married couple by Karen Russell, the husband-narrator says they tried “a thousand beverages purported to have quenching properties” (“liquid chimeras” that included “mint tea in Fez,” “Cherry Coke floats in rural Alabama,” and “jet-black coffee in Bogotá”) before finding a decent alternative in Sorrentine citrus. Plus: Before he met his wife (it was she who turned his lifestyle around), he/Clyde read about vampires in books, and he admits that he “did only what the stories suggested.” He wore a velvet cape; shrank from garlic and sunshine; napped in a coffin, etc. He fell prey to {{Cliche}} and DiscreditedTrope. Literally WhenLifeGivesYouLemons…

* ''ComicBook/{{Vampirella}}'' had her blood substitute serum...in Warren times. Post-Warren times found that too sissy for a Bad Girl. (There is always a surplus of villains to snack on; in any case, she will avoid biting an innocent.)

* While not a vampire, Bo the Succubus of ''Series/LostGirl'' prefers to feed only her two willing lovers, or take just a bit here and there from folks she needs to "distract" for one reason or another to advance the plot. When comparing the Light and Dark Fey, the leader of the Light says that the Dark kill for the sheer joy of it, while the Light are more like Native American hunters, taking only what they need and acknowledging their actions. When Bo asks where she fits in this analogy, the earnest response is "An annoying vegan."

* ''Series/{{Moonlight}}'': a vampire working at the coroner's office does a good side-business in bags of blood.

* In ''VisualNovel/BalladsAtMidnight'', criminals of Illuvia are routinely [[FedToTheBeast sentenced to be ripped apart by a vampire]]. However, when you meet him, Lucius claims he will not hurt you because he has incredible "self-control" and generally survives on fish blood. [[spoiler: This is from necessity, because he lives in relative isolation. Vampires can't cross water and [[GildedCage his estate]] is surrounded by a moat...]] He does occasionally chow down on any "guests" who [[BullyingADragon attack him first]], though.

** There's also a vampire in season 3 who prefers to feed on rats, but that's nothing to do with ethics; apparently whatever species you first feed on as a vampire, you'll have a taste for forever after. This causes problems when a CrossSpeciesDisease infects the rest of the vampire community.

* ''Series/ForeverKnight'': [[VampireDetectiveSeries Vampire Detective]] Nick drinks cow blood. There's also a vampire in season 3 who prefers to feed on rats, but that's nothing to do with ethics; apparently whatever species you first feed on as a vampire, you'll have a taste for forever after.

* [[CuteKitten Nyanpire]] from ''[[Anime/NyanpireTheAnimation The Gothic World Of Nyanpire]]'' [[http://static.tumblr.com/e4bef7bde89ef72ac96de61fa56d7644/0rtwitl/u9yn1vx3d/tumblr_static_nyanpire_eating_strawberry_by_gintabro-d45qkd6.png loves strawberries and]] [[http://www.thiseuphoria.com/anime9/nyanpire-1-10.jpg drinks ketchup.]] However, when he's away from his owner's home, he once started licking Masamunya's cuts and wounds when he saw some blood coming from his body after he tripped when he was about to attack him.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** Taking things more literally, a cook who is preparing a (mundane) meal for Darren asks him if he is vegetarian, which is treated by the other characters as [[WhatAnIdiot a stupid question]].

* [[OverlyLongName Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy]](Regis for short) from ''Franchise/TheWitcher'' saga takes this trope a step further, completely refraining from drinking it - blood in this universe is essentially [[FantasticDrug alcohol for vampires]], and he's undergoing a rehab.

->''"He won't bite beast or man, cause he's a vegetarian; and things never run to plan for... DUCKULA!"''

* While Henry Fitzroy in ''Series/BloodTies'' feeds on humans, he makes it a point not to kill anyone and usually does it during sex, so the "donor" thinks he's just being kinky. He does vaguely mention that, occasionally, someone does die. However, the person he mentioned in relation to this was not, in fact, dead but a vampire.

* Creator/MorganFreeman played a vampire on ''Series/TheElectricCompany1971'', who [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z0VvncNVg0 at first]] was explicitly said to be {{Dracula}} himself [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uss_QTqWNAQ (and who was shown to attack people for their blood)]] , but in one skit he was called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c99NfY7S1aA Vincent The Vegetable Vampire]]. Response to MoralGuardians, a bout of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness, or maybe they were just talking about the letter "V" that day and wanted some AddedAlliterativeAppeal?