Juvenile D3 intake.

[Anyfoot]

Hi all.
Wonder if you guys can help me understand a bit more about the connection between D3 and juveniles.

In the wild the neonate rises to the surface with the egg sack already absorbed. Then what happens? Does the neonate head for cover from predators? If so is it deep cover and where does the neonate get its D3 from for good strong growth. Tom mentioned he had read somewhere that they get some from the eggsack. Egg yolk is a source of D3, I looked this up.
Would this initial supply of D3 last the little one long enough until it was large enough to venture out into sunlight. If not where else does it get the supply of D3 from?
Do they hide in dappled shade and manage to soak a few sun rays up?
Can they get vitamin D from eating proteins like insects/slugs?

 

[ascott]

Hi all.
Wonder if you guys can help me understand a bit more about the connection between D3 and juveniles.

In the wild the neonate rises to the surface with the egg sack already absorbed. Then what happens? Does the neonate head for cover from predators? If so is it deep cover and where does the neonate get its D3 from for good strong growth. Tom mentioned he had read somewhere that they get some from the eggsack. Egg yolk is a source of D3, I looked this up.
Would this initial supply of D3 last the little one long enough until it was large enough to venture out into sunlight. If not where else does it get the supply of D3 from?
Do they hide in dappled shade and manage to soak a few sun rays up?
Can they get vitamin D from eating proteins like insects/slugs?

The babbies do venture out..not far at first I would bet, but yes they wiuld have exposure to uv rays..remember that direct sun exposure is not required..

 

[Tom]

Hi all.
Wonder if you guys can help me understand a bit more about the connection between D3 and juveniles.

In the wild the neonate rises to the surface with the egg sack already absorbed. Then what happens? Does the neonate head for cover from predators? If so is it deep cover and where does the neonate get its D3 from for good strong growth. Tom mentioned he had read somewhere that they get some from the eggsack. Egg yolk is a source of D3, I looked this up.
Would this initial supply of D3 last the little one long enough until it was large enough to venture out into sunlight. If not where else does it get the supply of D3 from?
Do they hide in dappled shade and manage to soak a few sun rays up?
Can they get vitamin D from eating proteins like insects/slugs?

Lots of good questions. No one knows the definitive answers to any of them.

1. What happens? They begin the process of finding enough to eat without being eaten. Not many of them make it.
2. Dappled shade and refracted UV do the trick.
3. No one knows how long the D3 supply from the yolk lasts. I would guess not more than a month or two depending on growth.
4. I still have not found an answer to whether tortoises can use dietary D3, or not. Iguanas can not. I have not seen any studies done on tortoises where D3 levels were measured before and after D3 ingestion and without any UVB contact in between. I wish somebody would prove it, one way or the other.

 

[Anyfoot]

The babbies do venture out..not far at first I would bet, but yes they wiuld have exposure to uv rays..remember that direct sun exposure is not required..

Thanks ascott. I did answer you this morning but for some reason my post didn't post. At the same time Tom answered my question. It was "what did you mean they don't need direct sun exposure, is this because of deflection of rsun rays"?

 

[ascott]

Thanks ascott. I did answer you this morning but for some reason my post didn't post. At the same time Tom answered my question. It was "what did you mean they don't need direct sun exposure, is this because of deflection of rsun rays"?

Even if in a shaded area the uv rays essentially can reach into shaded areas a distance..I have been in the desert where CDT live and have seen the tiny babies sunning at barely the start of the burrow apron..I have also seen them at the apron turned just slightly sideways sunning their bottoms but mostly pointed toward the hole ready to jet down the chute leaving behind a tiny dirt poof...so I would imagine other species would have their own methods for their species as well.

 

[ascott]

Thanks ascott. I did answer you this morning but for some reason my post didn't post. At the same time Tom answered my question. It was "what did you mean they don't need direct sun exposure, is this because of deflection of rsun rays"?

On a side note, my dear departed Uncle took a trip to Hoover Dam and some of his nephews and nieces also went...so while the younger folk ran off to do their thing my Uncle plopped down under a shady spot and there he sat for a few hours..on his way home he was becoming uncomfortable and by the time he reached home and pulled off his jeans he realized he had blistered skin and was in pain...went to the doctors the next day who confirmed for him that yes, he indeed had achieved third degree sunburn while sitting in the shade close to the water which likely reflected the rays onto his little ghost white legs where he had rolled his jeans up..

Uv rays can and do fill space if able to bounce around, soil has rocks and paticles that also allow refecting abilities...

 

[Anyfoot]

Thank you. I would expect most if not all juvenile species sun in that case.

I can vouch for your uncle. I've got burnt whilst fishing in shade many times. Water definitely absorbs and reflects uv rays.