Abstract

MEZADRI, Telmo José et al. Evaluation of the behavior of rats housed in boxes of different colors. Rev. etol. [online]. 2011, vol.10, n.1, pp. 21-26. ISSN 1517-2805.

Lately, the adequacy of a physical ambient to the specie’s habits relating to their well being and refined researches is getting important for researchers. With the aim of evaluate the behavior of rats housed in boxes of different colors, it was used 48 male animals, with 3 months of age, divided in 6 groups, three groups in white boxes and the other three in black boxes, for 4 weeks. Observing on the elevated plus maze, the results showed that the animals from white boxes stayed more time in the closed arms. On the open field test, there was more walking of the group kept in Black boxes, and on the inhibitory avoidance, data indicated a significant increase on the time spent on the platform by the group housed in the black boxes. Thus, the animal housed in Black cages have shown a greater exploratory tendency (decreased anxiety), and better learning.

Keywords : Animal behavior; Environmental enrichment; Rats.

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