Changes

Old stainless steel wire-bottom cages (dimensions: ?? X ?? X ?? cm) vs. Newer polycarbonate solid-bottom cages

Old stainless steel wire-bottom cages (dimensions: ?? X ?? X ?? cm) vs. Newer polycarbonate solid-bottom cages

Rats were housed in standard polycarbonate wire-top cages measuring 27 x 48 x 20 cm modified with holes cut in the front and in the rear of the cage to accommodate one feeding compartment and two drinking ports.  A stainless steel nest box (?? x ?? x ?? cm) was placed inside the cage.  At the front of the cage a stainless steel food compartment held a 4 oz glass food jar.  When a rat entered the feeding compartment, its head broke an infrared beam located above the food jar so that every second during the 23-h period the rat had its head inside the compartment was recorded.  Thus, time in the food compartment during a feeding episode, not amount of food intake, was measured. However, under baseline conditions, it has been shown that there is a high correlation between direct measures of food consumption (using load beams or videography) and the duration of a feeding bout  [JODI and MEGAN PAPER].   

Rats were housed in standard polycarbonate wire-top cages measuring 27 x 48 x 20 cm (more exactly 10.5" x 19" x 8") modified with holes cut in the front and in the rear of the cage to accommodate one feeding compartment and two drinking ports.  A stainless steel nest box (?? x ?? x ?? cm) was placed inside the cage.  At the front of the cage a stainless steel food compartment held a 4 oz glass food jar.  When a rat entered the feeding compartment, its head broke an infrared beam located above the food jar so that every second during the 23-h period the rat had its head inside the compartment was recorded.  Thus, time in the food compartment during a feeding episode, not amount of food intake, was measured. However, under baseline conditions, it has been shown that there is a high correlation between direct measures of food consumption (using load beams or videography) and the duration of a feeding bout  [JODI and MEGAN PAPER].   

A two-bottle stainless steel holder was located opposite the food compartment.  In the present experiment, only one bottle was used; it was placed on the left side for the duration of the experiment.  The sipper tube on the bottle was recessed behind a slot, allowing contact circuits to record each lick that the rat made during a 23-h period.   

A two-bottle stainless steel holder was located opposite the food compartment.  In the present experiment, only one bottle was used; it was placed on the left side for the duration of the experiment.  The sipper tube on the bottle was recessed behind a slot, allowing contact circuits to record each lick that the rat made during a 23-h period.