| 摘要 |
An animal feeding device or food environment is a behavioral device and eating trough which mimics the natural foraging and eating behavior of non-human primates, such as macaques and baboons, in order to reduce the boredom, stress, and suffering of these captive primates. The device is attached with three specially designed fasteners to the front or side of a primate cage for easy access and for the safety of both personnel and the animals. The device comprises an elongated main tube (10) having a longitudinal side opening (12) and ends (14) with eyelets (22) attached to the cage bars (24) by turnbuckle clamps (26). A bristle brush (16) is mounted on the inside of the main tube on the bottom. Food particles are placed at the bottom of the bristles so that the animal can forage in such bristles. Several scoop tubes (18) are mounted at one end of the brush. Each scoop tube (18B) is elongated and vertical with an open top with a removable cap (18C), and a horizontally oriented projecting side extension tube (18D). Each extension tube has an open end (18A) accessible via the main tube's longitudinal opening. The main tube (10) also has a horizontal dip tube (20) extending from its longitudinal opening. The dip tube has a dipstick (20B) (an elongated rod with a piston (20C) at its distal end) positioned in the main tube so that the animal can pull out a pastelike food placed below the piston.
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