Effects of differential housing and stress on diet selection, water intake, and body weight in the rat

Abstract

Animals were divided into three groups: group-housed, standard laboratory diet; group-housed, self-selection diet; individually housed, self-selection diet. After adaptation to diets, animals were observed during periods of restricted (1 hr/day) feeding, cold stress (with restricted feeding maintained), recovery from cold stress, and recovery from restricted feeding, in that order. Measures recorded were body weight and food and water intake. Differential effects of the procedures on each of the groups were evaluated, and it was concluded that individually housed animals were generally less adaptable to the experimental procedures. Several hypotheses on the effects of individual housing are discussed. cold stress; food deprivation; group vs. individual; housing; environmental adaptation; self-selection diet Submitted on January 23, 1963