Rodent

Laughing rats are optimistic

Emotions can bias human decisions- for example depressed or anxious people tend to make pessimistic judgements while those in positive affective states are often more optimistic. Several studies have reported that affect contingent judgement biases can also be produced in...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Handling, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Rygula, R., Pluta, H., Popik, P. 2012. Laughing rats are optimistic. PLOS ONE 7(12), e51959.

Guidance on the transport of laboratory animals

Report of the Transport Working Group established by the Laboratory Animal Science Association (LASA)

Year Published: 2005Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Amphibian, Cat, Dog, Ferret, Frog & Toad, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Salamander

Citation: Swallow, J., Anderson, D., Buckwell, A. C. et al. 2005. Guidance on the transport of laboratory animals. Laboratory Animals 39(1), 1-39.

The impact of light, noise, cage cleaning and in-house transport on welfare and stress of laboratory rats

Human interaction and physical environmental factors are part of the stimuli presented to laboratory animals everyday, influencing their behaviour and physiology and contributing to their welfare. Certain environmental conditions and routine procedures in the animal facility might induce stress responses...

Year Published: 2009Topics: Husbandry & Management, Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Castelhano-Carlos, M. J., Baumans, V. 2009. The impact of light, noise, cage cleaning and in-house transport on welfare and stress of laboratory rats. Laboratory Animals 43(4), 311-327.

The impact of transportation on physiological and behavioral parameters in Wistar rats: Implications for acclimatization periods

Transportation of laboratory rodents unavoidably causes stress. Nevertheless, very little is known about the effects of transportation and how long it takes for the animal to recuperate. In the present study, we investigated physiological and behavioral parameters before and after...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Arts, J. W., Kramer, K., Arndt, S. S. et al. 2012. The impact of transportation on physiological and behavioral parameters in Wistar rats: Implications for acclimatization periods. ILAR Journal 53(1), E82-98.

Cage-induced stereotypies in female ICR CD-1 mice do not correlate with recurrent perseveration

Stereotypies are repetitive, unvarying, apparently purposeless behavioural patterns. They develop in animals kept in barren environments and are highly prevalent in laboratory mice (Mus musculus), yet their underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. In humans, stereotypies are associated with several psychiatric...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gross, A. N., Engel, A. K. J., Richter, S. H. et al. 2011. Cage-induced stereotypies in female ICR CD-1 mice do not correlate with recurrent perseveration. Behavioural Brain Research 216(2), 613-620.

Effects of temporary access to environmental enrichment on measures of laboratory mouse welfare

Laboratory mice are typically housed in “shoebox” cages with limited opportunities to engage in natural behaviour. Temporary access to environments with increased space and complexity (playpens) may improve mouse welfare. Previous work by our group has shown that mice are...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ratuski, A. S., Améndola, L., Makowska, I. J. et al. 2024. Effects of temporary access to environmental enrichment on measures of laboratory mouse welfare. Scientific Reports 14(1), 15143.

A simple and low-cost environmental enrichment program improves the welfare of Calomys callosus, a species that adapts to animal facilities

An environmental enrichment protocol is essential for testing experimental models because it upholds animal welfare, aligns with ethical principles in animal experimentation, and reduces the number of animals needed. Calomys callosus, a South American rodent from the Cricetidae family, is...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Other Rodent, Rodent

Citation: Klein, S. G., de Assis, T. S., Pereira, G. S. et al. 2024. A simple and low-cost environmental enrichment program improves the welfare of Calomys callosus, a species that adapts to animal facilities. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

The future is not bright: Evaluation of rat preferences for color and intensity of light

Light is a key factor influencing the welfare of laboratory rodents, but little is known about their optimal lighting condition. It i common knowledge that rats prefer dim light, so bright light is mitigated with red-tinted shelters or cages, which...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Swan, M., Horvath, A., Pritchett, R. K. et al. 2024. The future is not bright: Evaluation of rat preferences for color and intensity of light. Animals 14(14), 2045.

Effects of intermittent harem mating on parturition-induced stress and success rate of weaning in C57BL/6JNarl mice

Improving the effectiveness of mating schemes for large-scale production of mice is an ongoing challenge in animal facilities. Continuous mating, which requires fewer breeding cages than intermittent mating, has traditionally been used to take advantage of postpartum estrus for efficient...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Chang, T.-K., Wang, C.-H., Lin, T.-Y. et al. 2024. Effects of intermittent harem mating on parturition-induced stress and success rate of weaning in C57BL/6JNarl mice. JAALAS 63(5), 488–494.

Noise and vibration generation and response of mice (Mus musculus) to routine intrafacility transportation methods

Intrafacility transport of mice is an essential function for both laboratory and husbandry personnel. However, transport may induce a stress response that can alter research findings and negatively impact animal welfare. To determine minimally adverse intrafacility transport methods, in-cage noise...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Cordingley, J. R., Nemzek, J., Qi, N. 2024. Noise and vibration generation and response of mice (Mus musculus) to routine intrafacility transportation methods. JAALAS 63(3), 221–231.