Measurements of behavior in the naked mole-rat after intraperitoneal implantation of a radio-telemetry system

The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a unique fossorial mammal that is eusocial, object blind, and virtually poikilothermic. This animal is an ideal model to examine questions pertaining to the thermoregulatory aspects of sleep/wake cycles and other circadian events. However, the monitoring of mammalian sleep usually involves implanting permanent electrodes into the skull which are linked to a counter-weighted cable apparatus. This is not;a. viable option for H. glaber because of the tunneled environments and sensitive social milieu. Instead, to monitor sleep, core temperature, and activity we have utilized intraperitoneal telemetry, a technique that transmits biopotential signals by radio waves. Here we describe the surgical procedure used to implant the device, the anesthesia technique developed, and the social reintroduction method devised for this novel animal model. (C) 1948 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.