Digestion of Eucalyptus Andrewsii Foliage by the Common Ringtail Possum, Pseudocheirus Peregrinus.

Abstract

Mature common ringtail possums, Pseudocheirus peregrinus, maintained body weight when offered Eucalyptus andrewsii foliage as their sole diet. The ringtails consumed 30.9 g.d-¹ or 41.8 g.kg-0.75.d-¹ of dry matter, with a mean apparent digestibility of 59%. Mean digestibilities of E. andrewsii foliage fibre fractions were 45% (neutral-detergent fibre), 44% (acid-detergent fibre), 48% (hemicellulose), 59% (cellulose) and 26% ('lignin'). The significant digestibility of the 'lignin' of E. andrewsii foliage means that lignin cannot be used as an indigestible marker in nutritional studies of arboreal folivores consuming eucalypt leaf diets. The apparent digestibility of energy was 50%. The mean intake of digestible energy was 436 kJ.kg-0.75.d-¹ and of metabolizable energy 345 kJ.kg-0.75.d-¹. Urinary energy loss averaged 23% of digestible energy intake or 12% of gross energy intake. These results are discussed in relation to the likely energy requirements of captive and free-living ringtail possums and the importance of Eucalyptus foliage in the field diet of free-living ringtails.