Mealworm feeders as environmental enrichment for common marmosets (2001)

Vignes, S., Newman, J. D., Roberts, R. L.

Abstract

The mealworm feeder was made from rodent water bottles that were modified to have rows of holes on two opposite sides. The bottle hung horizontally from the top perch; it was filled to a 3 cm depth with waxmoth larvae in pine-chip substate. There was significant variation in feeder use among sex and housing condition, with females housed singly and in peer groups using the feeders significantly more than did males, whereas subadults used the feeder significantly moreoften than did either the dominant female or male in family groups. .. Significantly decreased rates of pacing and time spent sitting still were observed in association with placement of the mealworm feeder. Feeder use declined over a period of 3 h, even if the feeders' contents were not fully depleted, and the effects of enrichment on activity waned in a like fashion. Singly houses marmosets paced more frequently than did pair- or family-housed monkeys (p. 27).