Two-way choice apparatus

Two-way choice apparatus (T-maze) for testing mouse responses to odors of conspecifics... 

This exercise and the next both deal with scent communication in mice. We practice two techniques frequently used in the Animal Behavior laboratory In this first experiment, we test a mammal s response to conspecific odors in a two-way choice apparatus, also called a Y- or T-maze, an often used bioassay device. [In the following experiment (Chap. 21), we observe and quantify scent marking behavior in response to two different stimuli in an open field. ]... 

In the T-maze we can test the responses of a male or female to a urine mark of the opposite sex, or from dominant or subordinate individuals of the same sex, or some other difference of interest. Among the many studies using two-way choice apparatuses for mice, a good example is a paper by Krasnov and Khokhlova (1996) that deals with mice responding to odors of another rodent species. We will test responses of males and females to urine of the same and different sex in a two-way choice apparatus (T-Maze). 

Amphibians have been shown to discriminate the odor of their home pond from other mud or water odors (Forester and Wisnieski 1991 Grubb 1973, 1976 McGregor and Teska 1989 Ogurtsov and Bastakov 2001). In a two-way choice apparatus, an animal chooses between mud or water from the home pond and some control mud or water from a different source. This experiment tests the ability to home by chemical cues, one aspect of orientation in space use newts, frogs or toads, depending on animals available. 

In this experiment, we built an apparatus for a three-way choice test. The three treatments were male-conditioned water, female-conditioned water and control water. Each water treatment was conditioned by placing two reproductively mature frogs in 19 L of water for 24 hours. Control water was prepared at the same time and placed under the same conditions for 24 hours. 

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