Effects of live-trapping and toe-clipping on body weight of European and African rodent species.

Changes in body weights of four species of small rodents were monitored to evaluate the method of toe-clipping for individual identification. If carefully applied the method was found to be without any biologically meaningful effects on the animals. Secondly, body weight changes in prolonged live-trapping studies were evaluated in five species of small rodents. It was found that the animals generally do not recover from the stress of trapping within 24 h. Absolute weight losses were small on a daily basis but mounted up when animals were trapped day after day.