Abstract
Effects of a shelter on open-field activity of rats and mice were examined. Subjects were both sexes of Wistar-Imamichi/Iar and F344/DuCrj strain rats and BALB/c and C57BL/6 strain mice. They were individually tested in three situations in a random order:(1) a standard open field, where the subject was first placed in a start box at a corner of the field (forced situation: FO);(2) an open field with a shelter, where the shelter was used as the start box (free situation: FR); and (3) an open field with a shelter, where a start box was used (forced-free situation: FF). Both species were less active in the FR and FF situations than in the FO situation, indicating that the presence of a shelter suppressed open-field activity of the animals. Data did not support the thesis that a shelter provides security to animals. For example, a few rats in the FF situation did not enter the shelter, although they showed enough ambulation to reach it. Also, many mice in the FR and FF situations left it hastily or hesitated to enter it. Behavioral differences by species, strain, and sex were also discussed.
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