ACETAMINOPHEN FEEDING TESTS IN LAND HERMIT CRABS (Coenobita brevimanus) AND COCONUT CRABS (Birgus latro)
SAVARIE, P. J., T. J. LINDER, and D. L. YORK
USDA, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154
Acetaminophen is a widely consumed over-the-counter analgesic drug and it is an effective oral toxicant for brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis). However, little is known about its ecotoxicological and non-target effects. Crabs are non-target animals that could be exposed to acetaminophen by feeding on treated baits (primary toxicity) or by feeding on brown treesnakes killed by acetaminophen baits (secondary toxicity). During 2001 under laboratory conditions with individually caged animals, the primary toxicity to land hermit crabs and the primary and secondary toxicity to coconut crabs was assessed. Secondary tests were not conducted with hermit crabs because they did not consume bait prepared from snakes. Toxicity tests contained pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment phases with fresh control or treated bait offered daily. Two primary toxicity tests, each with 80 mg (2-40 mg tablets) acetaminophen offered during treatment, were conducted with hermit crabs. In Test 1, acetaminophen was placed in about 1 g of commercially processed meat bait and offered each day for 3 days. In Test 2, acetaminophen was placed in about 1 g of commercially shaved coconut and offered each day for 2 days. No signs of toxicosis or mortality were observed. Results of the primary toxicity test in coconut crabs was similar, with all control and treated crabs surviving. In all the primary toxicity tests, crabs ate the bait matrix but generally avoided eating the control tablets and acetaminophen tablets. In the coconut crab secondary toxicity test, crabs were given a treated bait consisting of ground brown treesnakes for 3 days. Treated bait was prepared from brown treesnakes that died by consuming 160 mg acetaminophen, twice the dose used in field trials. Coconut crabs ate the treated bait but no signs of toxicosis or mortality were observed. These test results indicate that primary and secondary toxicity hazards of acetaminophen to crabs are negligible.
SAVARIE, P. J., T. J. LINDER, and D. L. YORK
USDA, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154
Acetaminophen is a widely consumed over-the-counter analgesic drug and it is an effective oral toxicant for brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis). However, little is known about its ecotoxicological and non-target effects. Crabs are non-target animals that could be exposed to acetaminophen by feeding on treated baits (primary toxicity) or by feeding on brown treesnakes killed by acetaminophen baits (secondary toxicity). During 2001 under laboratory conditions with individually caged animals, the primary toxicity to land hermit crabs and the primary and secondary toxicity to coconut crabs was assessed. Secondary tests were not conducted with hermit crabs because they did not consume bait prepared from snakes. Toxicity tests contained pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment phases with fresh control or treated bait offered daily. Two primary toxicity tests, each with 80 mg (2-40 mg tablets) acetaminophen offered during treatment, were conducted with hermit crabs. In Test 1, acetaminophen was placed in about 1 g of commercially processed meat bait and offered each day for 3 days. In Test 2, acetaminophen was placed in about 1 g of commercially shaved coconut and offered each day for 2 days. No signs of toxicosis or mortality were observed. Results of the primary toxicity test in coconut crabs was similar, with all control and treated crabs surviving. In all the primary toxicity tests, crabs ate the bait matrix but generally avoided eating the control tablets and acetaminophen tablets. In the coconut crab secondary toxicity test, crabs were given a treated bait consisting of ground brown treesnakes for 3 days. Treated bait was prepared from brown treesnakes that died by consuming 160 mg acetaminophen, twice the dose used in field trials. Coconut crabs ate the treated bait but no signs of toxicosis or mortality were observed. These test results indicate that primary and secondary toxicity hazards of acetaminophen to crabs are negligible.
posted by lilcrabbygal at 7:09 PM
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