Contact or touch detectors in which a subject acts as a switch between two metal surfaces have proven more popular and arguably more useful for recording responses than capacitance switches, photocell detectors, and force detectors. Components for touch detectors circuits are inexpensive and, except for some special purpose designs, can be easily constructed in the laboratory. This article describes an easily constructed and inexpensive battery operated circuit for use as a lickometer or contact detector in behavioral studies with rodents. (Contains 1 figure.)