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Retention of solute and particle markers in the digestive tract of chinchillas ( Chinchilla laniger )
Author(s) -
Hagen K. B.,
Dittmann M. T.,
Ortmann S.,
Kreuzer M.,
Hatt J.M.,
Clauss M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.12441
Subject(s) - chinchilla , zoology , biology , hay , herbivore , chemistry , anatomy , ecology
Summary The chinchilla ( Chinchilla laniger ) is a herbivorous hystricomorph South American rodent for which no mean digesta retention times have been reported so far. Six animals (mean body mass ± standard deviation: 513 ± 99 g) on a diet of grass hay and lucerne‐based pellets were given a pulse dose of a solute (cobalt‐ EDTA ) and a particle (chromium‐mordanted fibre, <2 mm) marker with subsequent frequent faecal collection. Dry matter intake was 45.2 ± 8.0 g/kg 0.75 /day. Mean retention times were 22.2 ± 5.3 h for solutes and 25.4 ± 5.2 h for particles, with the difference being not significant within individuals. This indicates the presence of a ‘mucus‐trap’ colonic separation mechanism, which is in accord with morphological descriptions of the typical colonic furrow in chinchillas. Corresponding to a strategy of colonic digesta separation and caecotroph formation, secondary marker excretion peaks indicated coprophagic events that were spaced approximately 12 h apart. Given that these retention times appear longer than measures reported for rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) or guinea pigs ( Cavia procellus ), it would be interesting to compare the digestive efficiency of chinchillas on high levels of dietary fibre to other species.