Tail position affects the body temperature of rats during cold exposure in a low-energy state

Abstract

Rats place their tails underneath their body trunks when cold (tail-hiding behavior). The aim of the present study was to determine whether this behavior is necessary to maintain body temperature. Male Wistar rats were divided into 'fed' and '42-h fasting' groups. A one-piece tail holder (8.4 cm in length) that prevented the tail-hiding behavior or a three-piece tail holder (2.8 cm in length) that allowed for the tail-hiding behavior was attached to the tails of the rats. The rats were exposed to 27°C for 180 min or to 20°C for 90 min followed by 15°C for 90 min with continuous body temperature and oxygen consumption measurements. Body temperature decreased by -1.0 ± 0.1°C at 15°C only in the rats that prevented tail-hiding behavior of the 42-h fasting group, and oxygen consumption increased at 15°C in all animals. Oxygen consumption was not different between the rats that prevented tail-hiding behavior and the rats that allowed the behavior in the fed and 42-h fasting groups under ambient conditions. These results show that the tail-hiding behavior is involved in thermoregulation in the cold in fasting rats.

Estrogenic modulation of female thermoregulatory behavior in a cold environment

“…The Tb was lower in rats that fasted for 42-h and were prevented from performing tail-hiding behaviors, compared to the Tb in rats that were allowed to perform the behavior 19) . Thus, tailhiding behavior could be a simple behavioral indicator of an animal's thermal status in the cold 19) . We studied whether E2's influence on behavioral thermoregulatory responses in the cold could be assessed by behavioral observations of tail-hiding behavior.…”

“…We reported "tail-hiding behavior" that rats place their tails underneath their body trunks in cold environments as a possible behavioral indicator 18,19) . The Tb was lower in rats that fasted for 42-h and were prevented from performing tail-hiding behaviors, compared to the Tb in rats that were allowed to perform the behavior 19) . Thus, tailhiding behavior could be a simple behavioral indicator of an animal's thermal status in the cold 19) .…”

Influence of exogenous and endogenous estrogen on thermoregulatory responses to mild heat and the interaction with light and dark phases

“…This suggests that the T tail data were reliable in evaluating heat loss in the present study. More importantly, the procedure does not disturb tail movement [ 11 ], which largely affects heat loss from the tail [ 32 ].…”