Abstract
Initial experiments were conducted to determine the effect of coat color on behavior. “Wild” brown- and white (albino)-coated litter mates from 5 brother-sister bred pairs which were the offsprings of albino rats bred with wild dump rats (Rattus norvegicus) were compared directly on several behavioral measures. No significant differences existed between coat colors for juvenile and adult ambulatory activity, acquisition rates for a lever-pressing task or for weaning and adult body weights. The brown-coated rats extinguished the lever responses more quickly than their white-coated litter mates. Sex differences tended towards significance for the activity measures and were significant for the body weights.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.