title: Experimental procedure to favor an otherwise undetectable potential rat muricidal behavior.
abstract: We hypothesized that variation in mouse aggressiveness could, at least in part, affect muricidal attitude of rats, therefore we introduced a sedated (diazepam 50 mg/kg/PO) instead of a normal (nonsedated) mouse into a cage with a rat. Rats were challenged with sedated or nonsedated mice for two-four days. It was found that a) the percentage (40-60%) of rats which killed a sedated mouse was higher than that (about 10%) of those which killed a nonsedated mouse; b) rats trained to kill a sedated mouse did not kill a nonsedated mouse and c) rats which did not kill a nonsedated mouse did not kill a sedated mouse. The present results indicate that the first experience in the presence of a sedated mouse uncovers a muricidal behavior which persists upon exposure to subsequent similar experimental conditions. This behavior undergoes seasonal variations, reaching a maximum in September-October and a minimum in February-March.
authors.affiliation: Menarini Ricerche Sud, Research Division, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cutrufo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borsini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camarri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meli
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001143:Arousal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment