Rabbit

Environmental enrichment: mirrors, music, toys, paper-based items and wooden objects

The literature suggests that mirrors may be useful to buffer isolation stress in some species. We do not really know if being forced to listen to loud music of the personnel's liking is also to the animals' liking. If it...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General, Dog, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Environmental enrichment: mirrors, music, toys, paper-based items and wooden objects. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 60-71. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Environmental enrichment: Shelter and nesting material for rodents and rabbits; bedding for rodents

The needs for a shelter and nesting material of mice and rats are quite different. Building their own nests is almost a must for mice, and the nest will then also be used as a retreat. For rats, access to...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Environmental enrichment:Shelter and nesting material for rodents and rabbits; bedding for rodents. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 74-79. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Environmental enrichment for ferrets, guinea pigs and rabbits

You do not have to spend a lot of money to make ferrets happy. Empty bedding bags were a great hit! They also enjoyed rolling around small cat balls with bells in them, though they destroyed them rapidly and, hence,...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Ferret, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Environmental enrichment for ferrets, guinea pigs and rabbits. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 87-90. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Individual housing – justifications

Studies in which I feel single-housing of rodents and rabbits is justified are those involving cannulatio, nutrition studies where we need to record intake/refusals,post-op animals after substantial surgery where the patient needs intensive nursin g.All single-caged animals must be housed...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Individual housing - justifications. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 29-30. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Maladaptive behaviors: Stereotypical behavior; hair pulling-and-eating and alopecia (hair loss); self-injurious biting

Animals kept in legally minimum-sized, unstructured enclosures very often exhibit stereotypical behaviors. Traditionally, these repetitive movement patterns without obvious goals or functions are categorized as abnormal. A healthy animal kept in a small, barren enclosure has little choice of expressing...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: All/General, Cat, Dog, Guinea Pig, Nonhuman Primate, Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Maladaptive behaviors: Stereotypical behavior; hair pulling-and-eating and alopecia (hair loss); self-injurious biting. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 39-45. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Feeding enrichment for mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats and sheep

Feeding enrichment is a practical option for animals kept in research laboratories. The regular provision of thoroughly cleaned, whole fruits and vegetables and of seeds scattered on woodchips or corncob bedding is probably the easiest yet most effective way to...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat, Guinea Pig, Mouse, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Sheep

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Feeding enrichment for mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats and sheep. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 51-60. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Use of behavior analysis to recognize pain in small mammals

Normal and pain-related behaviors exhibited by rodents, rabbits and ferrets are discussed.

Year Published: 2007Animal Type: Ferret, Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: Mayer, J. 2007. Use of behavior analysis to recognize pain in small mammals. Lab Animal 36(6), 43-48.

Working with animals: Oral drug administration – how to minimize stress reactions for rabbits, rodents and pigs

With gentle firmness, patience and professional skills most warm-blooded animals - with the exception perhaps of mice - can be habituated to tolerate oral dosing. Rabbits, rats and pigs accept most drugs if these are mixed in specially flavored and...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Pig, Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Working with animals: Oral drug administration - how to minimize stress reactions for rabbits, rodents and pigs. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 124-126. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Effects of husbandry and management systems on physiology and behaviour of farmed and laboratory rabbits

The major issues regarding the welfare of both farmed and laboratory rabbits according to husbandry and management systems as well as the main stressors are reviewed. An overview of the most widespread housing systems for both farmed and laboratory rabbits...

Year Published: 2007Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Verga, M., Luzi, F., Carenzi, C. 2007. Effects of husbandry and management systems on physiology and behaviour of farmed and laboratory rabbits . Hormones and Behavior 52(1), 122-129.

Pair housing of rabbits reduces variances in growth rates and serum alkaline phosphatase levels

This study was designed to assess changes in growth and selected serum chemistry parameters due to pair housing or single housing of rabbits. Six sets of four female siblings of Crl:KBL(NZW)BR rabbits were used. The animals were seven weeks old...

Year Published: 2007Animal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Nevalainen, T. O., Nevalainen, J. I., Guhad, F. A. et al. 2007. Pair housing of rabbits reduces variances in growth rates and serum alkaline phosphatase levels . Laboratory Animals 41(4), 432-440.