Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #293318
Title: Effects of housing on rodent behavior: wire vs solid plastic caging

Author
item MILLER, MARSHALL G. - Tufts University
item SMITH, DONALD E. - Tufts University
item Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

Submitted to: Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Veterinary Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2020
Publication Date: 6/29/2020
Citation: Miller, M., Smith, D., Shukitt Hale, B. 2020. Effects of housing on rodent behavior: wire vs solid plastic caging. Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Veterinary Science. 4:1-5.

Interpretive Summary: Housing of laboratory animals has changed in past years; however, the effect of modern rodent housing on behavior has not been extensively evaluated and published findings are conflicting. In the present study, rats were single-housed in either suspended wire-mesh cages or suspended plastic cages for two months. They then completed a battery of balance, coordination, and strength tests as well a working memory task in a water maze. Plastic-housed rats lost body weight but returned to norm when water was made available through an additional route. They balanced significantly longer on medium and wide planks and were able to cling longer to an inclined screen according to behavioral data. These findings support concerns that modernization of rodent housing may impact measures of both motor and ingestive behavior.

Technical Abstract: Housing of laboratory animals has changed dramatically in the last 20 years; however, the effect of modern rodent housing on behavior has not been extensively evaluated and published findings are conflicting. In the present study, aged (19 mo) Sprague-Dawley rats were single-housed in either suspended wire-mesh cages or suspended plastic cages for two months. Thereafter, rats completed a battery of balance, coordination, and strength tests, including: walking on a horizontal rod, planks of varying widths, and rotarod as well as clinging to an inclined screen and horizontal wire. Rats also completed a working memory task in the water maze. Following introduction to the rodent housing, plastic-housed rats’ initially lost body weight but returned to parity when water was made available through an additional route. Although no pathologies were observed in the rats’ extremities, analysis of behavioral data showed that plastic-housed rats balanced significantly longer on medium and wide planks and were able to cling longer to an inclined screen. No housing effects were observed in the water maze. These findings support researchers’ concern that modernization of rodent housing may impact measures of both motor and ingestive behavior.