Nutritional Values of Amphibian Foods
The table below shows the nutritional values of various foods that are commonly fed to carnivorous amphibians in captivity. When considering the calcium content of a food, pay particular attention to the calcium-to-phosphorous ratio; the availability of the calcium is affected by phosphorous.
| Food | Protein (% dry wt) | Fat (% dry wt) | Energy (kcal/g, dry) | Calcium (% dry wt) | Phosphorous (% dry wt) | Ca:Phos Ratio | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackworms | 47.8 | 20.1 | 5.57 | 0.11 | 0.85 | 0.12 | 1 |
| Bloodworms | 52.8 | 9.7 | NA | 0.38 | 0.90 | 0.42 | 1 |
| Crickets, adult | 64.9 | 13.8 | 5.34 | 0.14 | 0.99 | 0.14 | 1 |
| Crickets, pinheada | NA | NA | NA | 1.29 | 0.79 | 1.63 | 2 |
| Cockroach, American | 53.9 | 28.4 | 6.07 | 0.20 | 0.50 | 0.40 | 1 |
| Earthworms | 62.2 | 17.7 | 4.65 | 1.72 | 0.90 | 1.91 | 1 |
| Nightcrawlers | 60.7 | 4.4 | 4.93 | 1.52 | 0.96 | 1.58 | 1 |
| Fruit flies | 63.9 | 19.5 | 5.12 | 0.10 | 1.05 | 0.09 | 1 |
| Fruit fly larvae | 40.3 | 29.4 | 5.57 | 0.59 | 2.30 | 0.25 | 1 |
| Maggots | 56.8 | 20.0 | 6.07 | 0.41 | 1.13 | 0.36 | 1 |
| Mealworms | 52.7 | 32.8 | 6.49 | 0.11 | 0.77 | 0.14 | 1 |
| Mosquito larvae | 42.2 | 16.1 | NA | 0.79 | 1.07 | 0.73 | 1 |
| Tubifex worms | 46.1 | 15.1 | NA | 0.19 | 0.73 | 0.26 | 1 |
| Daphnia | 55.2 | 6.6 | NA | 0.10 | 1.17 | 0.08 | 1 |
| Waxworms | 42.4 | 46.4 | 7.06 | 0.11 | 0.62 | 0.17 | 1 |
| Phoenix wormsb | 45.3 | 32.4 | NA | 2.33 | 1.53 | 1.52 | 5 |
| Rangen salmon pellets | 44 | 18 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3 |
| Shrimp, raw | 83.3 | 8.3 | 4.42 | 0.22 | 0.85 | 0.26 | 4 |
| Squid, raw | 84.2 | 5.3 | 4.16 | 0.47 | 2.03 | 0.23 | 4 |
| Salmon, raw | 63.5 | 34.2 | 5.90 | 0.039 | 0.75 | 0.05 | 4 |
| Codfish, raw | 93.4 | 4.56 | 4.31 | 0.084 | 1.07 | 0.08 | 4 |
| Anchovy, rawc | 74.0 | 18.5 | 4.85 | 0.544 | 0.644 | 0.84 | 4 |
| Beef heart, raw | 76.9 | 20.0 | 4.88 | 0.030 | 0.92 | 0.03 | 4 |
| Beef liver, rawd | 69.0 | 13.8 | 4.66 | 0.017 | 1.33 | 0.01 | 4 |
| Beef sirloin, raw | 79.4 | 16.1 | 4.78 | 0.081 | 0.756 | 0.11 | 4 |
| Chicken breast, raw | 92.0 | 4.0 | 4.40 | 0.044 | 0.784 | 0.06 | 4 |
| Chicken, whole 1-day-old | 64.9 | 22.4 | 5.80 | 1.69 | 1.22 | 1.39 | 4 |
| Mouse, pinkiee | 64.2 | 17.0 | 4.87 | 1.17 | NA | NA | 6 |
| Mouse, whole adulte | 55.8 | 23.6 | 5.25 | 2.98 | 1.72 | 1.73 | 6 |
| Frog, Green | 71.2 | 10.2 | 4.80 | 4.29 | 1.87 | 2.29 | 6 |
| Toad, Southern | 61.0 | 14.0 | 4.25 | 2.94 | 1.79 | 1.64 | 6 |
| Quail, whole | 71.5 | 31.9 | 6.79 | 3.43 | NA | NA | 6 |
NA: Data not available.
aFor pinhead crickets, the calcium and phosphorous values shown are taken from a different reference than the data for adult crickets; Reference 1 reported values for pinheads being similar to those of adult crickets.
bPhoenix worms are larvae of the soldier fly, Hemetia illucens.
cAnchovies are not a commonly-used food for amphibians, but are used in some commercial fish foods. Anchovies are included in this table as an example of a fish that is analyzed with bones included. Note that calcium content is much higher than for fish filets. Other fish eaten whole are likely to be similar.
dLiver is no longer recommended as a food for amphibians, as it contains excessively high levels of vitamin A, which can interfere with absorption of vitamin D and, hence, calcium. Other varieties of liver, such as chicken liver, have nearly identical levels of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to those given for beef liver.
eValues for rat are very similar to values for mouse.
References
- Bernard, JB and Allen, ME. 1997. Nutritional Advisory Group Handbook, Fact Sheet 003. Nutritional Aspects of Insects as Food.
- Barker, D, Fitzpatrick, MP, Dierenfeld, ES. 1998. Nutrient composition of selected whole invertebrates. Zoo Biology 17:123-134.
- Information from the manufacturer's website, Rangen Salmon Feeds.
- United States Department of Agriculture website, Nutrient Data Laboratory.
- Sheppard, D. Craig, personal communication of data from an independent analysis performed for Phoenix Worms.
- Dierenfeld, ES, Alcorn, HL, Jacobsen, KL. 2002. Profiles of Nutrient Composition of Whole Vertebrate Prey (Excluding Fish) Fed in Zoos.
Additional information on amphibian foods and nutrition
CC article: Foods for Captive Caudates
CC article: Microfoods for Caudate Larvae
CC article: Worms: The Ideal Food for Caudates
Caudata.org article: Daphnia: An Aquarist's Guide
Nutritional Advisory Group Fact Sheet: Nutritional Aspects of Insects as Food (89K PDF)
AGSC Axolotl Colony: Food for Axolotls
IACUC Learning Module: Xenopus Nutrition
Melissa Kaplan: Nutrients of Foods Commonly Fed to Carnivorous and Omnivorous Reptiles
© 2007 Caudata Culture
