Some chicken keepers may be secret arenophiles!  They lug sand into the coop and use it for bedding Is that a good thing?

The word “arenophile” is a blend of Greek and Latin tracing back to ancient Rome

In those days crowds gathered in huge arenas to watch gladiators fight to a gory death

Before bouts workers covered the arena’s surface with a thick layer of sand to absorb blood  Gross!

Fortunately, those violent days are gone  Today the word “arenophile” generally means someone who collects samples of sand from such far-flung places as the beaches of Tahiti or Normandy Others may come