Date of Award
4-1991
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Alan D. Poling
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to determine whether simple additions to the home cages of rats made those cages preferable to standard housing arrangements. Results indicated that the majority of rats preferred cages with wood platforms, wood chips, and paper towels to otherwise identical cages without these items. Wood chips were not, however, practical with the cages used in the present study. Plastic pipes caused no problems but were not preferred by the majority of individual animals. Both wood platforms and paper towels created no problems and appeared to be useful as enrichment items. The latter were preferred to the former in a direct comparison.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Bradshaw, Anita Lynn, "Choice by Rats for Enriched Versus Standard Home Cages Plastic Pipes, Wood Platforms, Wood Chips, and Paper Towels as Enrichment Items" (1991). Dissertations. 2079.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/2079