title: Updates on amphibian nutrition and nutritive value of common feeder insects.
abstract: The study of amphibian nutrition requires a detailed review of species-specific natural prey analysis. Invertebrate nutrient composition has been formally studied for more than 60 years and presents the following conclusions: (1) in general, insects are poor in overall calcium content; (2) larval insects have high fat and protein components; and (3) altering the gut contents of some insects can improve their overall nutritive quality. The fat-soluble vitamin profile for most inverts is lacking. There are new guidelines for calcium and vitamin A supplementation that can help augment invertebrate nutrient profiles to match the minimum NRC requirements established for rats.
authors.affiliation: Exotic Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 3900 Delancey Street, Office 2107, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: llatney@vet.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: La'Toya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Latney
authors.affiliation: Animal Health National Aquarium, 501 Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA.
authors.forename: Leigh Ann
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Clayton
mesh_terms: D000663:Amphibians / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007313:Insecta / Q000737:chemistry*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009753:Nutritive Value; D014815:Vitamins
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Amphibian; Anatomy; Gut-loading; Invertebrate prey; Lipid; Minerals; Vitamins