Feeding amphibians and Cultures of invertebrates

67 Pages·2008·2.85 MB·English

Feeding amphibians
and Cultures of invertebrates
Materials produced by: Gerardo Garcia, Durrell
Background
Amphibian nutritional requirements unknown
Stomach contents best we have in most cases
Few studied throughout the year, life time
Incredible diversity of species
Feeding Considerations
• What will they eat?
• Can I supply enough of the food item all year long?
• How is the food going to be offered?
Are they eating?
• Hand feeding
• Counting the food in and out
• Presence of feces
• Periodic massings
Supply and Demand
• Variety is the spice of life.
• To culture or not to culture
How is the food going to be offered?
• Hand feeding
• Broadcast feeding
• Feeders
Diet
All adult amphibians are carnivores
Larvae (tadpoles/efts) may be herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous or pass
through one or more diet preferences throughout development
Dietary items are mostly invertebrates of appropriate size but large species can
consume vertebrates including other amphibians, reptiles, birds and small
mammals
Amphibians capture their prey with a sticky tongue or directly with their jaws
and swallow their prey whole, often alive
Food composition
• Water
• Protein
• Carbohydrates
• Fats
• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Hormones
• Toxins
• Indigestible
– chitin
– fiber
Water
Carbohydrates
• Important Nutrient
Provide Energy
• Makes food Palatable Digestible Sugars
provide energy
• Facilitates intestinal motility
Indigestible Sugars
• Facilitates absorption of vitamins, sugars
Cellulose
• Important to evaluate nutritional components
Important to peristalsis
in diet on dry weight basis
Largest nutrient by weight and volume
Often overlooked as a nutrient
Provides no energy (calories)
If not present in sufficient quantity:
Not palatable
Poor intestinal motility
Poor absorption and distribution of sugars, B-vitamins and other
water-soluble nutrients
Must compare food on a dry matter basis to see accurate content of nutrients in
food
Proteins
Amino Acids
Building Blocks
Low protein diets
Muscle weakness
Cardiac arrhythmias
Hydrocoelom
Poor reproduction
Skin lesions (collagen tears)
Immunosuppression
High protein diets (unbalanced)
Gout (excess purines)
Excess water demand to flush out
nitrogenous wastes (ammonia,
urea, uric acid)