Soft Vinyl Collars Used to Mark Eastern Wood Rats (Neotoma floridana)

Abstract

Collars of various types are commonly used to mark ungulates, particularly members of the Cervidae. Ealey and Dunnet (1956) have used collars with reflective tape to mark Australian mammals. Collars with radio transmitters have been used by Beal (1967) on gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) and fox squirrels (S. niger). As part of a larger study of the activity of the Eastern Wood Rat (Neotoma floridana), it was necessary to mark these animals individually so that they could be identified in the field at night using red light. IdentA-Band collars, manufactured by Hollister, Inc., to which different patterns of Scotchlite tape had been applied were used for this purpose. These soft vinyl collars, commonly used as identification bracelets in hospitals, are 1/2 inch wide and 91/2 inches long. The circumference of the band is adjustable until the rust proof metal catch is permanently locked. After the rats had been anesthetized by ether, collars were attached and tightened to the point where the tip of the index finger would fit between the collar and the rat's neck. The excess collar material