Preferences for Solutions of Sugars, Salts, and Acids by Ord's Kangaroo Rats Given Richter-Type Drinking Tests

Abstract

Taste preferences, as measured in consecutive Richter-type drinking tests (test solution versus distilled water), were determined for adult Ord's kangaroo rats. Five different molar concentrations were prepared for each of 5 common sugars and 3 salts. Two acids were used at 6 levels of pH. Consistent with food habits of Dipodomys, the subjects preferred maltose and sucrose over the other sugars. NaCl, like the other two salts, was indifferently accepted at weak concentrations and rejected at stronger molarities. Starting with weakest pH used (4.0), both an organic and an inorganic acid were rejected. The findings were viewed as suggesting that taste has some, though not major, importance in food selection by kangaroo rats.