The colour of food?

[misky]

I have been doing my research and reading a few articles on the net while I have been waiting for my new reptile licence to come through and an article I have just read has me a little curious. Here's the part that has me wondering

"Some reptiles are sensitive to color, and have definite preferences for prey of certain colors. With rodents, this may mean brown or parti-colored mice rather than white mice (after all, there aren't a lot of white or albino mice in the wild, as they tend to not survive long enough to pass on their color genes). This color preference may extend to insect-eaters as well. Adding powdered Spirulina or alfalfa to the food-and-vitamin mix fed to crickets will turn them green, making them more acceptable to reptiles who typically eat green insects in the wild."

Quote from FEEDING REPTILES by Melissa Kaplan
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1236&S=4&SourceID=55

I don't doubt that this sort of thing happens but is it very common or is it one of those things that is possible but extreamley rare?

Cheers
Luxie

 

[Jason]

it is possible, i also believe that some snakes get attracted to surten mice, eg. mine have been fed lab mice for about 6 months but know that my surplier is low in numbers i had to get some normal ones and they took a few minutes to take them, this was unusual cause my snakes are little pigs and practicaly jump out of the enclosure when i walk in with a mouse. but i think it is more the individual snakes. some lizards also like brightly coloured vegies.

 

[JandC_Reptiles]

I doubt there has been any significant scientific studies to verify it, so I would put it down as her suggestion/theory and not take it as gospel. IMO they are oportunistic feeders & don't really give a toss on the colour of their prey as long as it smells & tastes like fodder in most circumstances.

With rodents, this may mean brown or parti-colored mice rather than white mice (after all, there aren't a lot of white or albino mice in the wild, as they tend to not survive long enough to pass on their color genes).

Why do these not survive long? Is it because these are more prone to becoming fooder? Would't this than put her theory of parti-coloured mice being the preferance out the window?

 

[Reptilegirl]

if i put a yellow nasturium in front of my beardies it would be gone in a second... if i put an orange or red one in front of them it would shrivel and die before they paid it any attention...
dont know what it means... but i find it interesting..
Megz

 

[JandC_Reptiles]

Ooops, I was mainly focusing on Snakes in my post.
I agree Bearded dragons just love yellow flowers, corn kernels etc.
There is also a species of exotic Lizard that prefers pink/purple flowers. So I guess there is preferences between different species in regards to colours.

But I highly doubt they would care whether a roach/cricket was black, brown or green...

 

[Gilleni]

my female eastern bearded dragon eats pellets,
but she eats the green ones and the brown ones and
wont touch the red ones...

 

[junglemad]

White mice and white rats go down a treat here

 

[Rennie]

I dunno about snakes but my big beardies love red capsicum so much, when I put some hatchy's in a red lidded tub in their tank to share light/heat it took them a minute to realise it was plastic not capsicum. I've also been told by a mate I recommended the capsicum to that his will only eat red, not yellow even though I'm sure they taste the same.

 

[newtosnakes]

This is a truly interesting topic. My male stimmi was fed on white weaner mice, but when i got the fuzzies i happened to pick black ones. He did take longer to take the black one. I didn't even think about it at the time, but now i read this you have me wondering.... :lol: