Taste-aversion conditioning of house mice ( Mus domesticus) using the non-lethal repellent, cinnamamide

The potential of cinnamamide, a non-lethal repellent, to induce a conditioned taste aversion in house mice ( Mus domesticus) was investigated. Mice were presented with saccharin solution, then assigned to one of four groups, each of six individuals, receiving lithium chloride, cinnamamide or blank carrier by oral intubation. The fourth group were handled but not intubated. Animals treated with cinnamamide developed a strong and persistent aversion to saccharin which showed no evidence of attenuation during the 64-day trial. In contrast, the aversive response of the animals in the other treatment groups was either variable (LiCl and Blank groups) or absent (Handling group). Our results demonstrate that cinnamamide can induce a powerful conditioned aversion, a property that could be used to reduce problems posed by pest species without resorting to lethal control methods.