Luly, J., Buettner, P., Parsons, J., Thiriet, D., and Gyuris, Emma (2015) Tooth wear, body mass index and management options for edentulous black flying-foxes (Pteropus alecto Gould) in the Townsville district, north Queensland, Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal, 93 (3). pp. 84-88.

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Abstract

Objective: We investigated the relationship between a body mass index and tooth conditions in the black flying-fox to provide guidance on management of edentulous flying-foxes by bat carers and veterinarians.

Methods: Flying-foxes brought into care through injury were weighed, their forearms measured and the state of their teeth evaluated. Measurements were subjected to Chi-square, ANOVA, t-tests and regressions to tease out any relationship between body mass index and condition of canines and molar teeth, as well as in relation to gender and season.

Results: There is no statistically significant relationship between the state of a bats dentition and its body mass index.

Conclusions: The black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) in Townsville appears to experience a rapid decline in dental condition through time. Despite this, there is little indication that loss of teeth results in a decline in body mass index. We attribute the lack of effect of tooth loss on body condition to the dominance of floral foods in the diet of P. alecto in Townsville and a lesser importance of hard fruit that require an intact dentition for consumption. Edentulousness on its own is not sufficient reason to euthanise black flying foxes in Townsville and similar relatively dry localities where blossom dominates flying fox diet.

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