Aggressive interactions among wild and domestic rodents

Abstract

Intra- and interspecific bisexual encounters betweenBandicota bengalensis, Rattus rattus, Tatera indica and domesticated strain ofRattus norvegicus were staged for 10 min every day for seven days. The amicable, aggressive, submissive/avoidance and residual behaviour counts were recorded for each partner of the different species combinations and compared. The different species pair combinations were classified as amicable, aggressive and neutral, depending on the ratios of aggressive and amicable behaviour counts. These results are discussed with reference to inter-species relationships, resident-intruder status, body weight-dominance correlation, ‘bully effect’ of albino rats and sex differences in agonistic behaviour.