Physiological and behavioral responses to stress: What does a rat find stressful? Lab Animal 31(4), 42-49 (2002)

Harkin, A., Connor, T. J., O'Donnell, J. M. et al.

Abstract

Heart rate, body temperature, and activity were increased in a stressor-dependent fashion such that the extent of the response may be ranked in the following order: paired housing [ we introduced an adult male rat matched for body weight into the cage of the residing telemetered subject. ]>soiled bedding [500 ml water addedd to bedding] of individually caged rats] >injection>handling=air puff>stroboscopic lighting>novel odor>white noise=confinement. ... What a rat finds stressful are adverse changes within its home cage or direct manipulation by a human investigator.