T3: Lab Animals

Question 1

What are the characteriscs of rats and mice

Answer 1

-easily tamed and easy to care for
-social species
-same-sex pairs or groups are best
-Live an average 2-3 years
-9-11 inches for body length
-nocturnal animals

Question 2

What are the family names for mice and rats?

Answer 2

Mus musculus: home mouse (family cridetidae)
Rattus norvegius: Brown norway rat
Rattus Rattus: black rat

Question 3

melanocytes with two types of melanin:

Answer 3

eumelanin (black or brown) and phaeomelanin (yellow)

Question 4

Other than size, mice, and rats have the same,,,,

Answer 4

requirements for housing
- wire cage
-glass cages are not good for ventilation 965-75F and 30-70% humidity
-do not use cedar shavings the oil can kill rats

Question 5

Describe the skeleton

Answer 5

• 13 pairs of ribs
  -clavicles
  -front/rear feet: five digits each
  -rat: the first digit on front feet is very small

Question 6

Describe the dentition of rats

Answer 6

dental formula: 2 (1/1 incisors, 3/3 molars)
incisors: single pair, pigmented layer of enamel

-grown and worn down : malocclusion

Question 7

What is the harderian gland

Answer 7

-behind eye
-stressed: creates porphyrin resembling red tears
– chromodacryorrhea (formal name)

Question 8

Describe the digestive system

Answer 8

rats: cannot vomit, a ridge of the stomach may block the esophagus
- no gallbladder
- omnivores
-take in 10-12 grams daily

mice: no appendix
-omnivore
- 2-4 grams per day

Question 9

Urethea opens in..

Answer 9

• in the penis in the male (urogenital orifice)
• in the genital papilla near the base of the clitoris (not in the vagina)

Question 10

Describe the male urogenital system

Answer 10

• sperm plug
• the os penis (penis in the genital papilla)
• rats have open inguinal rings

Question 11

Describe the urogenital system of the female

Answer 11

female
- rates have 2 cervixes, one for each horn
-mice have now cervix
-vaginal closure membrane: usually in immature females disappears prior to sexual maturity

-anogenital distance is shorter in females than in males (way to sex them)

rats: 6 pairs of nipples
mice: only 5 pairs

Question 12

Describe the basic repro physiology

Answer 12

• polyestrous
  -spontaneous ovulators
  -estrous every 4-6 days
  -estrus at night/day 3
  -vaginal plugs by normal males

Gestation Length
-mouse: 18.5-21 dogs
-rat: 21-23 days

pups are altricial
sexual maturity
-mouse: M (5-7 weeks) F(4-5 weeks)
- rat: M (6-7 weeks) F (5-6 weeks)

Question 13

What is a milk spot

Answer 13

presence of milk in the stomach

Question 14

What are the basic characteristics of hamsters?

Answer 14

most common Syrian hamster
solitary, must live alone
- a wheel for running, enclosures to hide and sleep in, tunnels and paper towels to make a nest with

-litterspan: 1.5 to 2 years

-sexually mature females are aggressive to other females and to other males.

Question 15

What is the formal name of the golden hamster?

Answer 15

mesoricertus auratus: domesticated in 1939

Question 16

What do cheek pouches do for hamsters?

Answer 16

• to transport/store food or nest material
• extend back over the neck
• can be everted (turned inside out)

Question 17

What do flank glands do for hamsters

Answer 17

in males: mark territory
- will scratch at glands
in females not as easily identified but are associated with the estrous cycle e

Question 18

Describe the hamster basics for reproduction

Answer 18

mammary gland: 7 pairs of nipples, mammary tissue is not as extensive as in rats and mice

reproduction:
- Sexual maturity: M (6-8 weeks) F (same)
- 4-day estrus cycle
- ovulation occurs 6-10 hrs after onset of estrus
-lordosis, 8 hrs before ovulation
-post-ovulatory discharge

Question 19

How do you know if copulation has occurred? How long is gestation?

Answer 19

check for sperm (vaginal) plug
- 15-18 days (the shortest!)

Question 20

What are the basic characteristics of guinea pigs?

Answer 20

• Cavia porcellus
  -they can be housed together
  -social animals and very vocal
  -lifespan 5-7 years
  -adults: 10 ins long, 2-3 lbs
  -tail less
  -precocial

Question 21

Describe why Guinea pigs got their names and who they are most closely related to

Answer 21

cavy is more accurate but European settlers thought they looked like pigs and they were sold for the monetary unit “guinea” in England

-non burrowing, herbivores
-closely related to chinchillas and porcupines
- cleft upper lip (philtrum)

Question 22

How should you house and feed a guinea pig?

Answer 22

The biggest cage possible, do not use wire mesh for the cage floor: bedding
- vitamin C supplement

Question 23

Describe the anatomy of the guinea pig

Answer 23

• vestigial clavicles
• 4 digits on each front foot, 3 on each back foot
• incisors are normally white, unlike those of many other rodents
  -nose- breather
• female: only one pair of nipples/mammary glands in the inguinal region
  -sperm/vagina plug

Question 24

Describe the reproduction of a guinea pig

Answer 24

-puberty: F (2 months) M (3 months)
-16-day estrous cycle; spontaneous ovulation
-vaginal closure membrane open for 2-3 days
-gestation: 59-72 days

The pubic symphysis (pelvis) in non-pregnant guinea pigs is closed: dystocia occurs if the symphysis has not been stretched

Question 25

What are the basics of training rats?

Answer 25

1. Positive reinforcement
2. secondary reinforcement: clicker training
   - treat the choice

Question 26

What is shaping

Answer 26

the method used during clicker training, only rewards behaviors the animal does spontaneously

Question 27

What is Molding?

Answer 27

an active approach to training, physically mold the animal into the behavior you want

Question 28

What is leading?

Answer 28

leading the animal with a piece of food in your finger

Question 29

What is targeting?

Answer 29

a combination of shaping and leading

Question 30

What is rat “vocal” training?

Answer 30

-come when called
-to climb in and out an open basket to carry them

Question 31

What can you train your rabbit and how?

Answer 31

to come
-vocal stimulus and reward

Litter box training
-place the litter box where you want it to be used/corner of cage
-place another box where the rabbit goes
-sheets of newspaper and hay

Question 32

How can you leash-train a rabbit?

Answer 32

-regular harness for dog/cat
-H harness: two separate neck and chest loops connected
- a mesh of fabric harness

be persistent and consistent

Question 33

What are basic rabbit tricks

Answer 33

clicker training
- jumping, touch, clicking
- hopping and agility
-turn around, sit, etc.