Scheduled For Termination Pt. 2 : Cage Block E
A new layer of intrigue has fallen upon Rat #85; just like Reality TV, he has now been pitted against one of his own for a chance at survival.
I was watching Rat #91's lackluster performance in the condition for which he was trained, and I attracted the attention of my PI. The new condition has seven subjects, who must decide between a small amount of food at a small delay and a large amount at a longer delay. The small amount changes from day to day, based on their preference the day before, but the large amount is fixed at a rather large 32 pellets per trial, with sessions lasting 24 trials. Necessarily, 8 of the trials are "forced choice" which means the rat must accept the larger-later amount at least 4 times in a single session.
Rat #91's problem is, he gets full. He continues performing the task, but doesn't eat any of the food he's given. After the trough fills up, he stops performing the task. 32 pellets is just too large an amount for him. Still, I heard my PI tut-tutting over my shoulder, and when I explained the situation (#91 has done this four days running) he sighed and suggested that we might need to destroy him.
But wait, he had an idea.
At present, we're preparing a version of the experiment which uses liquid rewards instead of solid food. We are in the process of training 7 rats to perform this task, and one of those rats is #85, the Death Row-dent. We need at least six rats performing the liquid task, or else the results are meaningless. The success of training is somewhere above 85%, but there's always the chance that one of the six well-behaved rats will just 'tard out and not learn to run the box. If that happens, then #85 and #91 will be vying for the position. #91 will have to get over the issue of small stomach capacity, and #85 will have to get over the fact that he lives a meaningless and monotonous existence, only allowed to express his will in an experimental context. And they'd both cross their claws that one of those liquid-runners suddenly decides he's not interested.
And so, we have a showdown.
Who will emerge victorious? Who will lose their head? Will they both perish?
I'll keep you posted.
-Alan
I was watching Rat #91's lackluster performance in the condition for which he was trained, and I attracted the attention of my PI. The new condition has seven subjects, who must decide between a small amount of food at a small delay and a large amount at a longer delay. The small amount changes from day to day, based on their preference the day before, but the large amount is fixed at a rather large 32 pellets per trial, with sessions lasting 24 trials. Necessarily, 8 of the trials are "forced choice" which means the rat must accept the larger-later amount at least 4 times in a single session.
Rat #91's problem is, he gets full. He continues performing the task, but doesn't eat any of the food he's given. After the trough fills up, he stops performing the task. 32 pellets is just too large an amount for him. Still, I heard my PI tut-tutting over my shoulder, and when I explained the situation (#91 has done this four days running) he sighed and suggested that we might need to destroy him.
But wait, he had an idea.
At present, we're preparing a version of the experiment which uses liquid rewards instead of solid food. We are in the process of training 7 rats to perform this task, and one of those rats is #85, the Death Row-dent. We need at least six rats performing the liquid task, or else the results are meaningless. The success of training is somewhere above 85%, but there's always the chance that one of the six well-behaved rats will just 'tard out and not learn to run the box. If that happens, then #85 and #91 will be vying for the position. #91 will have to get over the issue of small stomach capacity, and #85 will have to get over the fact that he lives a meaningless and monotonous existence, only allowed to express his will in an experimental context. And they'd both cross their claws that one of those liquid-runners suddenly decides he's not interested.
And so, we have a showdown.
Who will emerge victorious? Who will lose their head? Will they both perish?
I'll keep you posted.
-Alan
posted by Alan Orlanski at 3:39 PM
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