Significance of sleeping plate as a thermal protection for farmed raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides).
1. Both living and model animals were used to evaluate the significance of a sleeping plate as a thermal protection for the farmed raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides, Gray, 1834), its use by the animals and its cleanliness while used. 2. A dry sleeping plate effectively prevented heat loss from the model animal while a wet plate was less effective. The degree of heat transfer was highest when the plate was ice-covered. Heat loss in windy conditions was significantly higher than in calm conditions. 3. The use of a sleeping plate did not depend on ambient air temperature; in spite of the cold weather (about -25 degrees C) only one in four animals preferred to lie on plate. Animals which did not prefer to use sleeping plates most eagerly messed them up.
D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D002335:Carnivora / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological