Rodent

Development and application of a preference test system to evaluate housing conditions for laboratory rats

Both albino and pigmented rats preferred cages with relatively low light intensities (100 lx are aversive to rats, and may be experienced as unpleasant.

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Blom, H. J. M., van Tintelen, G., Baumans, V. et al. 1995. Development and application of a preference test system to evaluate housing conditions for laboratory rats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 44, 279-290.

The visible burrow system as a model of chronic social stress: Behavioural and neuroendocrine correlates

In mixed-sex rat groups maintained in visible burrow systems (VBS), consistent asymmetries in offensive and defensive behaviors of male dyads are associated with the development of dominance hierarchies. Subordinate males are characterized by particular wound patterns, severe weight loss, and...

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Blanchard, D. C., Spencer, R., Weiss, S. M. et al. 1995. The visible burrow system as a model of chronic social stress: Behavioural and neuroendocrine correlates. Psychoneuroendocrinology 20, 117-134.

An investigation into the effects of solid or grid cage flooring on the welfare of laboratory rats

Preference testing revealed that rats chose to dwell on solid floors rather than grids, regardless of previous housing experience. This preference for solid floors was particularly marked (88%) when the animals were resting and much less during activity (55.4%). Since...

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Manser, C. E., Morris, T. H., Broom, D. M. 1995. An investigation into the effects of solid or grid cage flooring on the welfare of laboratory rats. Laboratory Animals 29, 353-363.

The experimental Animal in Biomedical Research (Vol. II) – Care, Husbandry, and Well-Being: Guinea Pigs

Basic recommendations for the housing of guinea pigs. Wire-bottomed cages may cause foot problems. Bublefoot usually occurs in heavier adults in wire-bottomed cages in which hygiene is not optimal.

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Kesel, M. L. 1995. Guinea pigs. In: The Experimental Animal in Biomedical Research (Vol. II) - Care, Husbandry, and Well-Being . Rollin, B. E. , Kesel, M. L. (eds), 335-350. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Effects of gnawing material, group size and cage level in rack on Wistar rats

Han:Wist rats were housed after weaning in groups of one, two, three or four in stainless steel cages with aspen chip bedding, with or without wooden gnawing blocks. The use of the blocks was assessed by Video recording and by...

Year Published: 1995Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kaliste-Korhonen, E., Eskola, S., Rekilä, T. et al. 1995. Effects of gnawing material, group size and cage level in rack on Wistar rats. Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science 22(4), 291-299.

Gentled and nonhandled Wistar rats in a mildly novel open-field situation

Open-field behaviour of individually gentled and nonhandled adult male Wistar rats was studied in a mildly novel test situation. The gentled rats were more active and showed fewer signs of fear on the first trial. This difference gradually descended on...

Year Published: 1995Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Handling, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hirsjärvi, P. A., Väliaho, T. 1995. Gentled and nonhandled Wistar rats in a mildly novel open-field situation. Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science 22(3), 265-269.

Analysis of the marble burying response: marbles serve to measure digging rather than evoke burying

Marble burying has been suggested as a model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) based on the fact that specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors selectively influenced this response. Studying the behaviour we observed that mice also exhibited intense digging activity in the absence...

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gyertyan, I. 1995. Analysis of the marble burying response: marbles serve to measure digging rather than evoke burying. Behavioural Pharmacolgy 6, 24-31.

The effects of cage cleaning on aggression within groups of male laboratory mice

Dominant animals tend to be more aggressive in an environment with familiar odor than in a strange environment. It was shown that complete cage cleaning - new cage and new substrate - can minimize aggression among male mice as compared...

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gray, S., Hurst, J. L. 1995. The effects of cage cleaning on aggression within groups of male laboratory mice. Animal Behaviour 49, 821-816.

Influence of an enriched environment and cortical grafting on functional outcome in brain infarcts of adult rats

The right middle cerebral artery (MCA) was ligated in 34 inbred, spontaneously hypertensive male rats, which were then randomly divided into three groups.Groups A and B were transferred to an enriched environment, i.e., a large cage with opportunities for various...

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Grabowski, M., Sorensen, J. C., Mattsson, B. et al. 1995. Influence of an enriched environment and cortical grafting on functional outcome in brain infarcts of adult rats. Experimental Neurology 133, 96-102.

The Ontogeny of Stereotypies in Gerbils

The provision of an artifical external burrow reduces stereotypic digging significantly.

Year Published: 1995Animal Type: Gerbil, Rodent

Citation: Wiedenmayer, C. 1995. The Ontogeny of Stereotypies in Gerbils. Universit?t Z?rich, Z?rich, Switzerland.