Poor little things! So, they too are gluten sensitive….
In fact, the irresistible research report that Alex sent me some weeks ago, reports that Common Marmosets (like the guy below who lives at the Landgoed Hoenderdaell wildlife park in the Netherlands) are gluten sensitive. I think, however, that these little chaps are Pygmy Marmosets so may have tougher digestions.
Anyhow, the good researchers at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Leipzig ‘offered a gluten-containing diet to 24 animals, followed by a gluten-free diet. During these diets, serum IgA antibodies to gliadin (AGA), tissue transglutaminase (tTG), deamidated gliadin (ADGA), and glycoprotein 2 (AGP2A) were determined. Body weight, diarrhea, and other clinical symptoms were recorded.’
The result? ‘Gluten increased AGA, tTG, and AGP2A concentrations in 13 of 24 animals. A significant decline of AGA and AGP2A was seen on gluten withdrawal. Positive (AGA, tTG) animals presented diarrhea more frequently on gluten-containing diet and showed significantly increased body weight on gluten-free diet compared to negative animals.’
Or, in other words eating gluten gives marmosets digestive problems which disappear once they stop eating it! Hopefully, the marmosets suffered no lasting damage – and the researchers learnt something of use – although I am not entirely sure what…. Do marmosets normally eat toast for breakfast?
A two minute google trawl indicates that the natural marmoset diet consists of fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts and animal protein. None of these are heavy in gluten so it is not entirely surprising that marmosets fed gluten did not thrive and one wonders why the veterinarians at Leipzig Uni thought it worth doing a trial to establish this. On the other hand a fine excuse for some very cute pictures..!
True – on both counts…..
i like it they are cute