Rodent

Effect of feed and environmental enrichment on development of stereotypic wire-gnawing in laboratory mice

Enrichment significantly reduced stereotypic wire-gnawing in pair-housed male mice by 40%, presumably as a consequence of the cover provided by the cardboard tubes. This is substantiated by observations that the tubes were used as a place to retreat upon disturbance...

Year Published: 1998Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Wurbel, H., Chapman, R., Rutland, C. 1998. Effect of feed and environmental enrichment on development of stereotypic wire-gnawing in laboratory mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 60, 69-81.

Circardian rhythmus of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in freely moving mice measured with radio-telemetry

Applications of radio-telemetry are demonstrated and discussed.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Kramer, K. 1998. Circardian rhythmus of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in freely moving mice measured with radio-telemetry. Lab Animal 27(8), 23-26.

Increased number and size of dendritic spines in ipsilateral barrel field cortex following unilateral whisker trimming in postnatal rats

The barrel field area of the primary somatosensory cortex of rodents is a fertile ground for investigating experience-dependent plasticity and its mechanisms, because the neurons in its layer IV are distributed in groups (barrels) which correspond somatotopically to the vibrissae...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Vees, A. M., Micheava, K. D., Beaulieu, C. et al. 1998. Increased number and size of dendritic spines in ipsilateral barrel field cortex following unilateral whisker trimming in postnatal rats. Journal of Comparative Neurology 400, 110-124.

Anticipation of play elicits high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations in young rats

The authors provide initial documentation that juvenile rats emit short, high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations (high USVs, approximately 55 kHz) during rough-and-tumble play. In an observational study, they further observe that these vocalizations both correlate with and predict appetitive components of the...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Knutson, B., Burgdorf, J., Panksepp, J. 1998. Anticipation of play elicits high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations in young rats. Journal of Comparative Psychology 112, 65-73.

Preference of subordinate male mice for their dominant cage mates

Experiments that allowed subordinate male mice to choose either a cage inhabited with a dominant partner or an empty cage have shown that the mice preferred the proximity of the dominant male to individual housing.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Baumans, V. 1998. Preference of subordinate male mice for their dominant cage mates. Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemaessen Tierhaltung, KTBL-Schrift 380, 45-52.

Strength of preference for nesting material as environmental enrichment for laboratory mice

On average, the 47 mice tested spent significantly more time in the cage with the nesting material [paper towel or tissue] (more than 69% of their total time, whereas less than 25% of their time in the cage with the...

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van de Weerd, H. A., van Loo, P. L. P., van Zutphen, L. F. M. et al. 1998. Strength of preference for nesting material as environmental enrichment for laboratory mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 55, 369-382.

Preferences for nest boxes as environmental enrichment for laboratory mice

Individual mice prefer a cage with a nest box and avoid cages without one. ... In general, the preferred nest boxes were those consisting of perforated metal or grid metal.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van de Weerd, H. A., van Loo, P. L. P., van Zutphen, L. F. M. et al. 1998. Preferences for nest boxes as environmental enrichment for laboratory mice. Animal Welfare 7, 11-25.

Environmental enrichment results in higher levels of nerve growth factor mRNA in the rat visual cortex and hippocampus

Rats housed in groups in a stimulus-rich environment for 30 days had significantly higher levels of NGF mRNA than rats housed individually in single cages without stimulus-enrichment.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Torasdotter, M., Metsis, M., Henriksson, B. G. et al. 1998. Environmental enrichment results in higher levels of nerve growth factor mRNA in the rat visual cortex and hippocampus. Behavioral Brain Research 93, 83-90.

The Laboratory Guinea Pig

Barbering, or hair chewing may be the result of a dominance interaction between two guinea pigs or a behvioral vice. Animal may barber each other in a group housing situation, or may chew at their own hair.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Terril, L. A. , Clemons, D. J. 1998. The Laboratory Guinea Pig. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Comparison of effects of restraint, cage transportation, anaesthesia and repeated bleeding on plamsa glucose levels between mice and rats

Mice showed a fairly consistent rise in levels of blood glucose if unaccustomed to [blood collection procedure] handling or if the cages were transported to an adjacent room. The same procedures when performed in rats seemed to have small or...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Tabata, H., Kitamura, T., Nagamatsu, N. 1998. Comparison of effects of restraint, cage transportation, anaesthesia and repeated bleeding on plamsa glucose levels between mice and rats. Laboratory Animals 32, 143-148.