Quote:
Originally Posted by andyrawrs
Ed, the issue I addressed above was the problem with impaction that some keepers of bearded dragons experienced a few years back. This is the argument of whether not the metabolization of chitin in Pagona vitticeps is possible. I do not doubt the information divulged by the research on Sceloperous lizards, but the fact remains that in the past some bearded dragon users expressed difficulty in using mealworms as feeders with young bearded dragons likely due to incapacity to metabolize chitin. Thus, the issue was that chitin was harmful to young bearded dragons (possibly); this may or may not be the case in dendrobatid husbandry.
Frankly speaking however, it is much more likely that mechanical error is to blame for the impaction events. I agree with the sentiments expressed here previously; I am simply stating that there may be counter-evidence to the claim that the "chitin issue" is a myth.
Andy
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Hi Andy,
I don't have access to a pdf of the article I referenced above but here is a link to the abstract
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...20175/abstract...
Outside of the study done on Sceloperous, chitin has been shown to be as much as 7 times more digestiable than was once commonly thought in general due to a underestimation of the amount of digestiable protien in the "chitin" portion of the insect. Mealworms actually contain a greater amount of digestiable material than is commonly believed.
I would have to go back and review the literature but I think I remember a method of impaction due to gastric overload where the animal consumes more food than they can easily handle which can result in impactions. The interesting thing about the Sceloperous study is that the lizards could consume a lower amount of mealworms and achieve a better growth rate than that seen in those fed crickets.
Ed
