"A possible explanation for the Co jacksoni and C. kingii cases is that until recently, these species were fed mainly crickets and mealworms. It is possible that these relatively soft-bodied insects resulted in minimal mastication and henceplaqueformation. Thenaturaldietofthesespeciesconsistsofawiderangeofinsects including hard-bodied beetles and cockroaches, and the occasional smaIllizard,7.11 which require long periods of masticatioD0 In the past 12 months, grasshoppers and occasional beetles and moths ha.ve been added to these animals' diets and it has been obselVed that both lizard species now spend more time chewing. Six new C" jacksoni have been on this diet since arrival at the zoo eight months ago and to date all have healthy mouths. In the case of the other two species, it has been assumed that the disease occurred as a result of long-term· exposure to the current diet which must predispose to some plaque formation"...
https://cdn.ymaws.com/members.arav.org/resource/resmgr/Files/Proceedings_1994/1994_25.pdf
https://cdn.ymaws.com/members.arav.org/resource/resmgr/Files/Proceedings_1994/1994_25.pdf
