SEDL / STP / STP752-EB / STP35156S

Considerations in the Design of Test Methods for Measuring Bait Shyness

Robbins, RJ
Assistant professor, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 1981

Download this paper for $25 PDF (168K)          View License Agreement
Abstract

Data are presented to show that the ingestion of sublethal quantities of toxic bait can modify rodents' subsequent acceptance of that and other baits by way of two separate mechanisms: a learned aversion to that specific toxicant-bait combination and a nonlearned aversion to novel foods in general. A test procedure is offered which provides separate measures of the degree of bait shyness produced by these two mechanisms and which also avoids confounding the results with the direct effect of toxicant flavor upon bait palatability.