An automated method for recording scent marking in Mongolian gerbils.

A device for the automated recording of scent-marking events in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) is described. The method uses minute temperature changes occurring at the surface of marked objects to detect scent marking. These events are recorded by a computer together with the exact time and the location of the marked object. The data obtained with this temperature-sensitive recording method correlate well with data obtained in parallel by human observers. The measurement of the diurnal rhythm of scent-marking behavior for 5 consecutive days in an undisturbed male demonstrates the specific usefulness of this new recording method. In addition, this temperature-sensitive automated recording of scent-marking behavior may also be applicable in other animals that primarily mark protruding objects.