Effects of high-fiber diet on timing of behaviors in Bandicota indica

Food resources and energy budget affect the behaviors and time budgets of animals. To clarify the effects of a high-fiber diet on greater bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica) behavior, we compared B. indica under a high-fiber diet and a standard rat diet using video monitoring. Our results show that B. indica are mainly active and feed at night, typical of nocturnal animals. A high-fiber diet resulted in a longer time to feed and become active at night and reduced the time spent feeding during the day. These findings suggest that food quality plays an important role in the behavioral timing of B. indica; this helps to understand seasonal changes in behavior demonstrated by B. indica.