Caecotrophy in caged Mountain hares (Lepus timidus)

Abstract

The paper deals with caecotrophy in captive Mountain hares fed normal hare browse. The daily and seasonal patterns of hard and soft faeces excretion are described. Chemical analyses of the faeces have also been performed.

Retention of solute and particle markers in the digestive tract of chinchillas (Chinchilla laniger)

“…The degu ( Octodon degu ) is another animal that practices coprophagy about every 12 h, but in contrast to the chinchilla, the degu shows this behaviour only at night (Kenagy et al., ). In mountain hares ( Lepus timidus ) (Pehrson, ), kangaroo rats ( Dipodomys microps ) (Kenagy and Hoyt, ), nutrias ( Myocastor coypus ) (Gosling, ) and capybaras ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris ) (Herrera, ), a rhythm of 24 h for coprophagy was observed. Apart from these apparent species differences, variation in the nutrient composition and the amount of the available diet may change coprophagic behaviour within species (Fekete and Bokori, ; García et al., ; Kenagy et al., ; Hagen et al., ).…”

Prehistoric dietary adaptations among hunter-fisher-gatherers from the Little Sea of Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russian Federation

“…During hibernation, weight loss in arctic ground squirrels is largely due to utilization of fat, but protein is also used to provide energy (Galster and Morrison, 1976) and this may result in reutilization of nitrogen already depleted in the lighter isotope. Elevated d 15 N values are also seen in hares, which may be related to caecotrophy (consumption of soft faeces) which has been shown to significantly enhance nitrogen availability including bacterial protein from the caecum (Pehrson, 1983). Other factors such as seasonal fluctuations in diet, precipitation and soil conditions, as discussed in a recent study of North American hares from the arid Great Basin (Ugan and Coltrain, 2011) may also contribute to the observed variation in d 15 N. Table 4.…”

Same island, different diet: Cultural evolution of food practice on Öland, Sweden, from the Mesolithic to the Roman Period

“…Considering only the Köpingsvik specimens, the nitrogen isotope values are even more depleted, 2.8 ± 1.0‰, which is apparently an effect of the particular physiology of lagomorphs, including defecation (Pehrsson, 1983a(Pehrsson, , 1983b.…”