Effect of different diets on weight gain of captive individuals of Agouti paca (Rodentia: Agoutidae)

Abstract

The Paca (Agouti paca) had suffered intensive hunting throughout its distributional range. Some efforts have arisen to produce animals in captivity as a mean to reduce this pressure. However, basic aspects about its biology in captivity such as diet are still unknow. The objective of this study is, therefore, to determine the effect of five diets with different protein proportions on the growth of individuals of paca breed in captivity. Five farms on the Atlantic Region of Costa Rica were chosen, assigning a different diet in each place and selecting four three-months-old males. Weights of the 20 animals at the beginning of the study fluctuated between 3.1 and 4.2 kg and at the end between 6.0 and 8.1 kg. Weight of the animals increased rapidly until 210 days. No differences among average weights of individuals exposed to each diet were detected, although a diet with a balanced protein concentration seemed to offer better results. When comparing average weights with those of other studies, results obtained in this work were the highest. This study generated knowledge about the protein requirements of captive pacas.