Rat

Decline in aggression in cotton rats through enrichment

The tubes provide shelter and nesting material to the rats, allowing them to exhibit species-specific behaviors. The change in the animals' behavior has been overwhelming. The rats are much less aggressive; in one year, fight wounds in our cotton rats...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Neubauer, T., Buckmaster, C. 2011. Decline in aggression in cotton rats through enrichment. Tech Talk [The Newsletter for Laboratory Animal Science Technicians] 16(4), 2-3.

Is full physical contact necessary for buffering effects of pair housing on social stress in rats?

Our previous study showed that pair housing with a familiar male prevented an increase in anxiety caused by social defeat in male rats. The present study attempted to identify the aspects of social interactions with a familiar male that are...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Nakayasu, T., Kato, K. 2011. Is full physical contact necessary for buffering effects of pair housing on social stress in rats? Behavioural Processes 86(2), 230-235.

Refining cage change routines: Comparison of cardiovascular responses to three different ways of cage change in rats

Cage change is one of the unavoidable routines in laboratory rodent care. However, cage change disrupts the rodents' olfactory environment and can evoke stress reactions. In this study, the short-term cardiovascular responses to three different cage change procedures were compared...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Meller, A., Kasanen, I., Rukšėnas, O. et al. 2011. Refining cage change routines: Comparison of cardiovascular responses to three different ways of cage change in rats. Laboratory Animals 45(3), 167-173.

Comparative analysis of blood sampling techniques in the rat

Blood sampling is one of the most common procedures performed on laboratory animals as part of scientific research. As an ongoing commitment, our institution has identified a need to improve the current blood sampling method in rats from both a...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Mathieu, C. 2011. Comparative analysis of blood sampling techniques in the rat. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 738 (Abstract #PS81).

How do rats respond to playing radio in the animal facility?

In the animal facility, a range of different sounds are present. On the one hand, rats and humans will regard sound and noise differently even within the audible range, but on the other hand mice and rats being very adaptable...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Krohn, T. C., Salling, B., Kornerup Hansen, A. 2011. How do rats respond to playing radio in the animal facility? Laboratory Animals 45(3), 141-144.

Report of the 2010 RSPCA/UFAW rodent welfare group meeting – The effect of husbandry on welfare and promoting good practice

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group holds a one-day meeting every autumn so that its members can discuss current welfare research, exchange views on rodent welfare issues and share experiences of the implementation of the 3Rs of replacement, reduction and refinement...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Drug/Substance Administration, Handling, Husbandry & Management, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., Burn, C., Hurst, J. et al. 2011. Report of the 2010 RSPCA/UFAW rodent welfare group meeting - The effect of husbandry on welfare and promoting good practice. Animal Technology and Welfare 10(2), 105-114.

Effects of wire-bottom caging on heart rate, activity and body temperature in telemetry-implanted rats

Some experimental procedures are associated with placement of animals in wire-bottom cages. The goal of this study was to evaluate stress-related physiological parameters (heart rate [HR], body temperature [BT], locomotor activity [LA], body weight [BW] and food consumption) in rats...

Year Published: 2011Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Giral, M., García-Olmo, D., Kramer, K. 2011. Effects of wire-bottom caging on heart rate, activity and body temperature in telemetry-implanted rats. Laboratory Animals 45(4), 247-253.

Rats free each other from cages

Following a two-week introduction period, pairs of rats were put inside an arena. One was trapped inside a central restrainer, while the other roamed free in the larger space. By day six or seven, on average, the roaming rat learned...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Gewin, V. 2011. Rats free each other from cages. Nature News.

Using olive oil to orally dose laboratory rats

Many compounds are orally administered to laboratory rats using the gavage technique. This technique is stressful for the animal and can cause injury or death if performed incorrectly. Often compounds are suspended in food oils such as corn oil for...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Fitchett, A., Judge, S., Morris, C. 2011. Using olive oil to orally dose laboratory rats. Animal Technology and Welfare 10(1), 39-41.

Nylon cylinder: Safe and cost-effective chewable rat enrichment

Offering enrichment to stimulate chewing behavior in rats has been found to promote psychologic and physiologic wellbeing. While there are many commercially produced nylon products available for use as chewable enrichment, these items are costly, especially with current economic constraints....

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Witt, S. L., Plews, C. A., Ruppert, G. et al. 2011. Nylon cylinder: Safe and cost-effective chewable rat enrichment. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 782 (Abstract #P174).