Sex differences in running-wheel behaviour in the rat: The inductive and activational effects of gonadal hormones
I compared the effect of oestradiol benzoate (OB) administration on running-wheel activity in gonadectomized male, female and neonatally androgenized female rats. In the first experiment, conducted on 300-400-day-old animals, OB stimulated running-wheel activity of female rats to a significantly greater extent than that of males or neonatally androgenized females. In the second experiment, conducted on […]
The influence of handling and exposure to a ferret on body temperature and running wheel activity of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)
In order to determine a stress response, two groups of twenty male golden hamsters were either exposed to a ferret or handled by a human. The hamsters’ body temperature and running wheel activity were measured as stress correlates. Half of the hamsters’ cages were equipped with a functional running wheel to determine whether the presence […]
Behaviour of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) kept in four different cage sizes
Cages for laboratory and pet hamsters are usually small. Using video recordings, the behaviour of sixty female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), housed individually in four different cage sizes, was compared in order to draw conclusions about their welfare. The cage sizes were 1,800 cm2, 2,500 cm2, 5,000 cm2, and 10,000 cm2. Enrichment items and litter […]
The Use of a Running Wheel to Measure Activity in Rodents: Relationship to Energy Balance, General Activity, and Reward
Running wheels are commonly employed to measure rodent physical activity in a variety of contexts, including studies of energy balance and obesity. There is no consensus on the nature of wheel-running activity or its underlying causes, however. Here, we will begin by systematically reviewing how running wheel availability affects physical activity and other aspects of […]
Housing systems to meet the behavioural needs of a solitary mammal with an extensive home range: The Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi)
The Julia Creek dunnart is a rare solitary marsupial that displays regular stereotyped pacing in captivity. An effective captive breeding programme has been hindered by the lack of an efficient housing system. An initial experiment examined the feasibility of housing in pairs, by mixing animals of different ages and sex for a 2 h period, […]