Preferences by Egyptian Spiny Mice for Solutions of Sugars, Salts, and Acids in Richter-Type Drinking Tests

Abstract

Egyptian spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) were tested for drinking preferences by means of Richter-type tests (sapid solution versus distilled water). The subjects were 7 male and 7 female adults which were individually housed within an environmental chamber. Solutions used in the tests were concentrations of 5 common sugars (.005 M to 1.0 M), 3 salts (.005 M to 1.0 M), and 2 acids (4.0 pH to 1.5 pH). The molar range was too limited to identify the most preferred concentrations of fructose and glucose, but preferences for lactose, maltose, and sucrose appeared to occur at peak levels within the range. None of the salts (KCl, MgSO4, and NaCl) was preferred over water in any of the tests, and both acids, the organic more than the inorganic, were rejected in all tests. The findings were contrasted with results from Richter-type tests conducted with other species of rodents.