The cage preferences of laboratory rats.
Preference tests were used to assess a range of enrichment options for rats kept under standard New Zealand (and similar) caging conditions. The rats did not show significant preferences for most of the options, over an empty cage. The exceptions were shredded paper, a nesting box and a semi-enriched condition incorporating a range of modifications. These cage modifications are recommended for the enrichment of laboratory rats.
Patterson-Kane
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Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. rattitude@sofcom.com
Harper
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Hunt
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D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory / Q000523:psychology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley