BASELINE CORTICOSTERONE, HEMATOLOGY, AND BIOCHEMISTRY RESULTS AND CORRELATIONS TO REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN NESTING LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES ( CARETTA CARETTA).

Characterizing the health status and reproductive success of wild populations of sea turtles can be difficult; however, obtaining data to do this can provide important insight into the stability and long-term success of a population. This study examined the use of baseline corticosterone to assess reproductive success of a population of nesting loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta) on Jekyll Island, Georgia and investigated hematological and biochemical trends in this population. A total of 37 nesting loggerhead sea turtles was sampled for this study. Eleven (29.7%) turtles were sampled in 2013 and 26 (70.3%) were sampled in 2014. A majority of the turtles sampled successfully nested (29/37, 78.4%; false crawls: 8/37, 21.6%). There was no significant correlation between baseline corticosterone concentrations and reproductive success (hatch success or emergence success) in this population. There was a significant positive correlation ( r = 0.461, P = 0.02) between corticosterone concentrations and absolute monocyte counts. There was a significant negative correlation between monocyte count and hatch success ( r = -0.464, P = 0.05) and a positive correlation between phosphorus and hatch success ( r = 0.405, P = 0.05). Calcium concentrations were significantly different ( P = 0.01) between animals that false crawled and those that nested, with nesting turtles having lower calcium concentrations than those that false crawled. Turtles that false crawled were significantly ( P = 0.008) more likely to have elevated potassium concentrations than turtles that nested. This study provides the first attempt at characterizing baseline corticosterone, hematology, and biochemistry data and correlations with reproductive success in nesting loggerhead sea turtles. Overall, loggerhead sea turtles capable of nesting were found to be in good health and have good reproductive success while maintaining low levels of corticosterone during reproductive activities.

Digestibility of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) fed to leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius).

Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae have been marketed as an excellent choice for providing calcium to reptiles without the need of dusting or gut loading. However, previous studies have indicated that they have limited calcium digestibility and are deficient in fat soluble vitamins (A, D3, and E). In this feeding and digestibility trial, 24 adult male leopard geckos were fed one of three diets for 4 months: 1) whole, vitamin A gut loaded larvae; 2) needle pierced, vitamin A gut loaded larvae; or 3) whole, non-gut loaded larvae. Fecal output from the geckos was collected daily and apparent digestibility was calculated for dry matter, protein, fat, and minerals. There were no differences in digestibility coefficients among groups. Most nutrients were well digested by the leopard geckos when compared to previous studies, with the exception of calcium (digestibility co-efficient 43%), as the calcium-rich exoskeleton usually remained intact after passage through the GI tract. Biochemistry profiles revealed possible deficits occurring over time for calcium, sodium, and total protein. In regards to vitamin A digestibility, plasma and liver vitamin A concentrations were significantly higher in the supplemented groups (plasma- gut loaded groups: 33.38 ± 7.11 ng/ml, control group: 25.8 ± 6.72 ng/ml, t = 1.906, p = 0.04; liver- gut loaded groups: 28.67 ± 18.90 µg/g, control group: 14.13 ± 7.41 µg/g, t = 1.951, p = 0.03). While leopard geckos are able to digest most of the nutrients provided by BSF larvae, including those that have been gut loaded, more research needs to be performed to assess whether or not they provide adequate calcium in their non-supplemented form.

Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) as a reservoir for Leptospira spp.

Leptospira spp. are re-emerging zoonotic pathogens. Previous research has found that Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) experimentally infected with Leptospira interrogans shed leptospires in their urine, suggesting that they could play a role in transmitting pathogen within an aquatic ecosystem. This study investigated whether a population of wild Blanding's turtles known to be exposed to Leptospira spp. actively shed the pathogen under natural conditions. Blood samples were collected for serologic testing and to assess the health of the turtles. Free catch urine was collected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. All turtles were seropositive for Leptospira spp. and 73.5% (25/34) of the urine samples were PCR positive. All animals appeared clinically healthy and showed no apparent signs of disease. This study confirms that wild Blanding's turtles can actively shed Leptospira spp. in their urine and suggests that they may play a role in the epidemiology of this disease in habitats in which they reside.