Curious Question

[Goldenarcher1328]

I was reading in one of my books earlier that the number of chitins in an insects body has an impact on feeding and health and therefore insects with higher chitin numbers such as super worms, need to be ballanced out in feedings with insects with low chitin number such as silk worms.

Why is this?

Its my understanding that the chitin the protective plating between segments in the insects.

If i'm understanding this correctly, is it a matter of roughage for the chameleons?
Or is this because the chitin of the insect carries important nutrients?


Any theories or explanations would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[carol5208]

From what I have read, Chitin is the exoskeleton or the shell of the superworm. Therefore you would not want to feed your animal that in any large quanity without mixing it with some other type of soft feeder. They need a balance just like we do. I would consider that roughage.

 

[fluxlizard]

Chitin is the exoskeleton or the shell of the superworm

Chitin is found in the exoskeleton of any insect (not only superworms).

Some insects have a relatively thick exoskeleton, therefore more chitin.

Some insects have more stuff inside- some have less in relation to the exoskeleton, therefore the chitin to usable food ratio changes.

Exoskeleton also contains phosphorous, so all this effects the calcium to phosphorous ratio of an insect as well.

Exoskeleton is less digestible and usable than the stuff inside the insect.

Some soft insects like waxworms and butterworms also have a skin that is more difficult to digest.

Eating insects means being able to deal with digesting them and that means being able to deal with the chitinous exoskeleton.

It is what insect eating lizards such as chameleons do for a living.

For the past zillions of years.

Thinking variety of insects fed is far more important than worrying about the chitin or exoskeleton of any specific insect offered, unless you are overfeeding the lizard that insect instead of offering variety.

Even then, IMO, a healthy lizard will have no problem dealing with the exoskeleton. Only sick, malnurished, weak, or cold lizards should have problems doing what lizards do for a living for countless generations.