Effects of Food Deprivation on the Subsequent Growth of the Hatchling <i>Elaphe taeniura friesei</i> in captivity

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • タイワンスジオの孵化幼蛇における飼育下での絶食がその後の成長に与える影響

Description

Two groups of hatchling Elaphe taeniura friesei were reared under different feeding schedules for one year. One group (group A; N=15) was offered food from the completion of their first shedding, whereas the other (group B; N=14) was first fed after food deprivation for two months. The mean body weight (BW) loss in group B during the food deprivation period was 2.99%/week. During this period, snakes of group A grew in snout-vent length (SVL) 1.5 times and in body weight (BW) 5.9 times larger than the snakes of group B. Significant differences were recognized in both parameters between the two groups. During the first year, both groups consumed about an equal amount of food, but the SVL of group A became significantly greater than that of group B. There were, however, no significant differences in BW between groups A and B. Group B exhibited a significantly higher monthly feeding rate and monthly conversion efficiency than group A. These results suggest that the food deprivation period affected subsequent feeding rates and growth rates of the hatchling snakes.

Journal

Details 詳細情報について

  • CRID
    1571417127945590016
  • NII Article ID
    130006915710
  • Data Source
    • CiNii Articles

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