Abstract

CABRERA, Felipe. Foraging behavior in golden hamsters (mesocricetus auratus): effect of the distance among multiple patches. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2008, vol.7, n.1, pp. 125-138. ISSN 1657-9267.

The pattern of travel and the efficiency in foraging behavior was evaluated in four hamsters searching for food within an enclosure with multiple patches. Two different distances among patches were randomly arranged: Near-Patches (10 cm separation) and Distant-Patches (21.5 cm separation). Subjects obtained the food by mounting over the cylinders (stations) placed in the enclosure of 110 cm2. Results showed that in both, Near and Distant conditions, the distance between responses was longer in late stages of the trials then in early stages. Nonetheless, the most choices to adjacent stations were in Distant-Patches condition, while skips and diagonal-station choices were more frequently showed in the Near-Patches condition.

Keywords : Travel pattern; Foraging behavior; Distance; Hamster; Clinical protocols; Quality of life.

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