Foraging strategies in groups of rats exposed to different arrangement of food

Abstract

This study evaluated searching and intake strategies in groups of rats; group size and arrangement of sources with food were varied. Group of rats were exposed to a wood table with food containers. Group Matrix n=4 integrated by four rats was exposed to 4 containers which were arranged in a matrix figure and were near; Group Matrix n=8 was exposed to same arrangement of containers y was integrated by eight rats; Zig-Zag n=4 was exposed to 4 containers which were away and arranged in irregular figure, four rats were in the group; Zig-Zag n=8 was exposed to same arrangement and was composed with eight rats. Data show that arrangement of sources with food had effects in the number of containers exploted by all rats in the group and in the tendency of producing-scrounging strategies; the number of rats by group produced changes on the proportion in that producing and scrounging responses were performed in each group and on pattern of arrive to sources of food. These results were analyzed according to maximization rate model.