Atypical gnawing and cage destructive behavior in one strain of laboratory rat.
Approximately 80% of a colony of 900 Long Evans rats, Blu:(LE), gnawed on polypropylene shoe box type cages around the automatic watering grommet. The gnawing led to cage destruction and escape of the animals. The addition of a large stainless steel shield between the original grommet backing and the cage prevented further gnawing on the cage.
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D011126:Polypropylenes; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000502:physiology*
D011126:Polypropylenes