Pangolins (Manis spp.) are myrmecophagous mammals with a wild diet of termites and ants. Diets are not yet readily acceptable by all pangolins and lack soil and chitin compared to their wild diet. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of including soil and chitin in pangolin diets by measuring changes in digestibility, food mean retention time, faecal scoring and body weight changes. Two male and two female Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) from Night Safari (Singapore) were fed their typical gruel-type diets, with soil and chitin added in various amounts throughout 10 different treatments. Diet intake was calculated daily and faecal boluses were collected for digestibility analysis. Chromium oxide was added to the diet to measure mean retention time four times per animal per treatment. Faecal consistency scores were recorded daily where 1 is firm and 5 is liquid. Every animal was weighed weekly. Adding soil or chitin to the diet had various effects on the apparent digestibility of organic matter, crude protein and fiber with little effects on crude fat or calcium. Soil had a general positive influence on organic matter and fiber digestion. The addition of chitin and soil together had the stronger effects. Only at 25% inclusion of soil did the faecal score begin to improve. The overall maintenance energy requirements for adult M. javanica was 79.28 Kcal/kg BW0.75 /day, similar to other myrmecophagous mammals. The usage of soil and chitin in pangolin diets may be helpful in controlling weights while preventing behaviours associated with hunger.

中文翻译：

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在巽他穿山甲 (Manis javanica) 饮食中添加土壤和几丁质会影响消化率、粪便评分、平均滞留时间和体重

穿山甲（Manis spp.）是食蚁兽，以白蚁和蚂蚁为食。与野生饮食相比，穿山甲的饮食还不是很容易被所有穿山甲接受，并且缺乏土壤和几丁质。本研究旨在通过测量消化率、食物平均保留时间、粪便评分和体重变化的变化来评估在穿山甲饮食中加入土壤和几丁质的有用性。来自夜间野生动物园（新加坡）的两只雄性和两只雌性巽他穿山甲（Manis javanica）被喂食它们典型的稀饭型饮食，并在 10 种不同的处理中添加了不同数量的土壤和几丁质。每天计算饮食摄入量并收集粪便用于消化率分析。将氧化铬添加到饮食中以测量每次处理每只动物四次的平均保留时间。每天记录粪便稠度分数，其中 1 是坚硬的，5 是液体。每只动物每周称重。在日粮中添加土壤或几丁质对有机物、粗蛋白和纤维的表观消化率有不同的影响，对粗脂肪或钙的影响很小。土壤对有机质和纤维消化具有普遍的积极影响。甲壳素和土壤一起添加具有更强的效果。只有在土壤中包含 25% 时，粪便评分才开始改善。M. javanica 成年的总体维持能量需求为 79.28 Kcal/kg BW0.75/天，类似于其他食肉哺乳动物。在穿山甲饮食中使用土壤和几丁质可能有助于控制体重，同时防止与饥饿相关的行为。在日粮中添加土壤或几丁质对有机物、粗蛋白和纤维的表观消化率有不同的影响，对粗脂肪或钙的影响很小。土壤对有机物质和纤维消化具有普遍的积极影响。甲壳素和土壤一起添加具有更强的效果。只有在土壤中包含 25% 时，粪便评分才开始改善。M. javanica 成年的总体维持能量需求为 79.28 Kcal/kg BW0.75/天，类似于其他食肉哺乳动物。在穿山甲饮食中使用土壤和几丁质可能有助于控制体重，同时防止与饥饿相关的行为。在日粮中添加土壤或几丁质对有机物、粗蛋白和纤维的表观消化率有不同的影响，对粗脂肪或钙的影响很小。土壤对有机质和纤维消化具有普遍的积极影响。甲壳素和土壤一起添加具有更强的效果。只有在土壤中包含 25% 时，粪便评分才开始改善。成年 M. javanica 的总体维持能量需求为 79.28 Kcal/kg BW0.75/天，类似于其他食肉哺乳动物。在穿山甲饮食中使用土壤和几丁质可能有助于控制体重，同时防止与饥饿相关的行为。土壤对有机质和纤维消化具有普遍的积极影响。甲壳素和土壤一起添加具有更强的效果。只有在土壤中包含 25% 时，粪便评分才开始改善。M. javanica 成年的总体维持能量需求为 79.28 Kcal/kg BW0.75/天，类似于其他食肉哺乳动物。在穿山甲饮食中使用土壤和几丁质可能有助于控制体重，同时防止与饥饿相关的行为。土壤对有机物质和纤维消化具有普遍的积极影响。甲壳素和土壤一起添加具有更强的效果。只有在土壤中包含 25% 时，粪便评分才开始改善。M. javanica 成年的总体维持能量需求为 79.28 Kcal/kg BW0.75/天，类似于其他食肉哺乳动物。在穿山甲饮食中使用土壤和几丁质可能有助于控制体重，同时防止与饥饿相关的行为。