Abstract

ARCOS-GARCIA, José Luis et al. Digestibility of Black Iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) Fed With Diets Based on Differents of Insect and Vegetable Components.. Rev. Cient. (Maracaibo) [online]. 2007, vol.17, n.3, pp.255-261. ISSN 0798-2259.

Digestibility of insect and vegetable diets was evaluated with captive newborn black lizard (Ctenosaura pectinata). Sixty juvenile black lizards were kept in cages, in groups of five specimens. Temperature ranged from 22 to 35°C. Diets were elaborated with fly pupae (Notonecta unifasciata), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum). Four diet treatments were applied with variations in insect:vegetables ratio (wet matter) 1:4, 2:3, 3:2 and 4:1. A completely randomized design was applied and the data way analyzed hrongh stepwise procedure was used to obtain prediction equations for daily gain and dry matter intake. Intake showed a quadratic response (P<0.05) with a maximum ratio of 3:2 (insect:vegetal).There were differences (P<0.05) in protein intake among treatments increasing linearly as the proportion of insects augmented. No differences (P>0.05) were observed in digestibility, intake, feed conversion, or growth of the iguana. It is concluded that black lizards (C. pectinata) up to seven months have the same capability to digest diets based on fly pupae and a combination of alfalfa:tomato.

Keywords : Digestibility; hatchling; insects; vegetables; C. pectinata.