Rabbit

Housing, care and environmental factors

General discussion on husbandry and regulatory issues pertaining to the housing and care of laboratory animals.

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: All/General, Dog, Guinea Pig, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hansen, A. K. , Baumans, V. 2004. Housing, care and environmental factors. In: The Welfare of Laboratory Animals. Kaliste, E. (ed), 37-50. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

Potential for unintended consequences of environmental enrihment for laboratory animals and research results

Many aspects of the research animal's housing environment are controlled for quality and/or standardization. Of recent interest is the potential for environmental enrichment to have unexpected consequences such as unintended harm to the animal, or the introduction of variability into...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Hamster, Macaque, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Bayne, K. 2005. Potential for unintended consequences of environmental enrihment for laboratory animals and research results. ILAR Journal 46(2), 129-139.

Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: Requirements of rodents, rabbits, and research

Environmental conditions such as housing and husbandry have a major impact on the laboratory animal throughout its life and will thereby influence the outcome of animal experiments. However, housing systems for laboratory animals have often been designed on the basis...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Baumans, V. 2005. Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: Requirements of rodents, rabbits, and research. ILAR Journal 46(2), 162-170.

Activity patterns of wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L.1758), under semi-freedom conditions, during autum and winter

The main objective of this work is to assess the activity biorhythms of the European rabbit, under semi-freedom conditions between September and March. The study was carried out in a property located in the north of the County of Valladolid...

Year Published: 2005Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Diez, C. P. J., Prieto, R., Alonzo, M. et al. 2005. Activity patterns of wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, L.1758), under semi-freedom conditions, during autum and winter. Wildlife Biology in Practice 1, 41-46.

Even minimal human contact linked to nursing reduces fear responses toward humans in rabbits

When handled around nursing time during the first week after birth, the fear response of rabbits toward humans is reduced later on. But although this might be crucial for practical application, the duration of daily treatment necessary to achieve this...

Year Published: 2005Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Csatadi, K., Kustos, K., Eiben, C. et al. 2005. Even minimal human contact linked to nursing reduces fear responses toward humans in rabbits . Applied Animal Behaviour Science 95, 123-125.

Room to hop

Practical enrichment possibilities for group-housed rabbits are described.

Year Published: 2005Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Down, N. 2005. Room to hop. Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) Quarterly 54(4), 17-18.

The effect of mirrors on the welfare of caged rabbits

The four test subjects showed only intial interest in three mirror walls.

Year Published: 2005Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Jones, S. E., Phillips, C. J. C. 2005. The effect of mirrors on the welfare of caged rabbits. Animal Welfare 14, 195-202.

Demand functions for cage size in rabbits selectively bred for high and low activity in open-field

The results show that operant conditioning and demand function using the settings as in the present experiment could not demonstrate significant differences in motivation for more [unstructured] cage space in rabbits selected divergently for open-field locomotor activity.

Year Published: 2005Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Jezierski, T., Scheffler, N., Bessei, W. et al. 2005. Demand functions for cage size in rabbits selectively bred for high and low activity in open-field . Applied Animal Behaviour Science 93, 323-339.

Exotic Pet Behavior – Birds, Reptiles, and Small Mammals: Rabbit Behavior

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Bays, T. B. 2006. Rabbit Behavior. In: Exotic Pet Behavior: Birds, Reptiles, and Small Mammals . Bays, T. B., Lightfoot , T. L., Mayer, J. (eds). Saunders, St. Louis, MO.

Preparation of animals for research — Issues to consider for rodents and rabbits

This article provides details to consider when preparing to use animals in biomedical research. The stress of transport and receipt of animals into a new environment mandate the need for a period of stabilization and acclimation. This allotment of time...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Regulations & Ethical Review, Relocation & Transport, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Other Rodent, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Conour, L. A., Murray, K. A., Brown, M. J. 2006. Preparation of animals for research -- Issues to consider for rodents and rabbits. ILAR Journal 47(4), 283-293.