User blog comment:Lord Loss/Monster Hunter Theory... Blog/@comment-5043481-20121008184014/@comment-5043481-20121008211342

Could it be a combiation of both?

The ore (not sand) content of jhens diet is used to create an adhesive, and with carbalite making up a subtantial portion of it, it is purple. However, the sand and rocks that stick to it become by far the dominant hue, with the purple only becoming exposed during a long period of inactivity. This could be after a large meal, or hibernation in times when less food is available. Many animals, even as small as tortioses, can carry enough fat reserves to last a winter, 4-5 months. Jhen could feasably last much longer with larger reseves.