Foraging enrichment for laboratory rats (2004)

Johnson, S. R., Patterson-Kane, E. G., Niel, L.

Abstract

The limited-access hopper had a tendency to reduce food consumption, but the time spent feeding encreased. The gnawing sticks provided the rats with the opportunity to gnaw, but did not affect other behaviours or body weight. The foraging device had the benefits of reducing aggression and allowing the rats to search for and manipulate food, but resulted in significant gains in body weight.