Li H, Vaughan M J, Browne R K
Shanghai Zoo, Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China.
Zoo Biol. 2009 May;28(3):197-213. doi: 10.1002/zoo.20223.
The endangered Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri) suffers nutrition related pathologies including poor growth and feeding difficulties from squamous metaplasia. Juvenile B. baxteri were each fed three supplemented feeder diets over 22 weeks and their growth, strike rate, and ingestion success measured. Diet (1) Enrichment Diet: feeder crickets fed fish oil, spirulina, and ground turtle feed; (2) Vitamin Diet: feeder crickets dusted heavily with Reptivite multi-vitamin/mineral powder; and (3) Control Diet: feeder crickets dusted with calcium and Vitamin D powder. The Enrichment Diet produced faster growth in length (P<0.05) than those fed the Vitamin Diet, and at 22 weeks either the Enrichment Diet or Control Diet produced greater weight (P<0.05) than those on the Vitamin Diet. Toads fed the Vitamin Diet ingested significantly (P<0.01) less crickets (approximately 105 g/toad) compared with those fed the Enrichment Diet or Control Diet (approximately 121 g/toad). Approximately 50% of either Reptivite multi-vitamin/mineral or calcium/vitamin D powder was lost within 90 sec of dusting. The Enrichment Diet produced the same strike rate (approximately 25 strikes in 5 min.) but higher (P<0.01) IS (38.3+/-4.2%) than those fed the Vitamin Diet (24.2+/-1.8%) or Control Diet (20.1+/-1.5). 1)Results showed that the Enrichment Diet provided superior growth, enrichment of feeder crickets provides an attractive alternative to the use of topical powders alone, and crickets lose approximately 50% of topical powders within minutes. Feeding a diet highly enriched in retinol and unsaturated fatty acids resulted in improved growth and health for young Wyoming toads.
濒危的怀俄明蟾蜍（Bufo baxteri）患有与营养相关的病症，包括生长不良以及因鳞状化生导致的摄食困难。在22周的时间里，给每只幼年怀俄明蟾蜍投喂三种添加了营养成分的饲料，并测量它们的生长情况、攻击率和摄食成功率。饲料（1）强化饲料：用鱼油、螺旋藻和磨碎的龟饲料喂养的饲料蟋蟀；（2）维生素饲料：大量撒有Reptivite多种维生素/矿物质粉末的饲料蟋蟀；（3）对照饲料：撒有钙和维生素D粉末的饲料蟋蟀。强化饲料组蟾蜍的体长增长速度比维生素饲料组更快（P<0.05），在22周时，强化饲料组或对照饲料组蟾蜍的体重比维生素饲料组更重（P<0.05）。与喂食强化饲料或对照饲料的蟾蜍（约121克/只蟾蜍）相比，喂食维生素饲料的蟾蜍摄入的蟋蟀数量明显更少（P<0.01）（约105克/只蟾蜍）。在撒粉后90秒内，Reptivite多种维生素/矿物质粉末或钙/维生素D粉末大约损失了50%。强化饲料组的攻击率相同（5分钟内约25次攻击），但摄食成功率比喂食维生素饲料组（24.2±1.8%）或对照饲料组（20.1±1.5%）更高（P<0.01）（38.3±4.2%）。1）结果表明，强化饲料能促进更好的生长，对饲料蟋蟀进行强化是单独使用外用粉末的一种有吸引力的替代方法，并且蟋蟀在几分钟内会损失大约50%的外用粉末。给幼年怀俄明蟾蜍喂食富含视黄醇和不饱和脂肪酸的饲料可改善其生长和健康状况。
