Rodent

Refinement of gerbil housing and husbandry in the laboratory

An artificial burrow system is described that prevents the development of stereotypic digging.

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Gerbil, Rodent

Citation: Waiblinger, E., Koenig, B. 2004. Refinement of gerbil housing and husbandry in the laboratory. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals [ATLA] 32(Supplement), 163-169.

Behavioral dermatology

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Rodent

Citation: Virga, V. 2004. Behavioral dermatology . Clinical Techniques in Small Animal Practice 19, 240-249.

Preference for social contact versus environmental enrichment in male laboratory mice

Results indicated that when other conditions were similar, male mice preferred to sleep in close proximity to their familiar cage mate. Furthermore, the need to engage in active social behaviour increased with age. Tissues were used to a large extent...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Van de Weerd, H. A., Van Zutphen, L. F. M. et al. 2004. Preference for social contact versus environmental enrichment in male laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals 38, 178-188.

Long-term effects of husbandry procedures on stress-related parameters in male mice of two strains

Long-term provision of nesting material and its transfer during cage cleaning was found to influence several stress-related physiological parameters. Mice housed in cages enriched with nesting material had lower urine corticosterone levels and heavier thymuses, and they consumed less food...

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Van der Meer, E., Kruitwagen, C. L. J. J. et al. 2004. Long-term effects of husbandry procedures on stress-related parameters in male mice of two strains. Laboratory Animals 38, 169-177.

Assessment of commercially available environmental enrichment for laboratory mice: Ask the animal! American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 135-136 (Abstract)

Mice of all strains showed a strong preference for paper-based, but not for perspex nest boxes.

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Blom, H. J. M., Meijer, M. K. et al. 2004. Assessment of commercially available environmental enrichment for laboratory mice: Ask the animal! American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 135-136 (Abstract).

The importance of learning young: the use of nesting material in laboratory rats

Unlike mice, adult laboratory rats do not spontaneously build nests when nesting material is offered. As a result, nesting material is often regarded as unsuitable environmental enrichment for laboratory rats. Wild rats and pet rats, however, have been observed to...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Baumans, V. 2004. The importance of learning young: the use of nesting material in laboratory rats. Laboratory Animals 38, 17-24.

Short-term effects of a disturbed light-dark cycle and environmental enrichment on aggression and stress-related parameters in male mice

This experiment has shown that disturbed lighting for socially-housed male mice caused physiological and behavioural changes indicative of not only leading to much higher levels of corticosterone [via urine collection] but also to shorter agonistic within the groups. .. No...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van der Meer, E., Van Loo, P. L. P., Baumans, V. 2004. Short-term effects of a disturbed light-dark cycle and environmental enrichment on aggression and stress-related parameters in male mice. Laboratory Animals 38, 376-383.

Environmental enrichment: room for reduction? Alternatives to Laboratory Animals (ATLA) 32(Supplement 2), 69-71

Environmental enrichment strategies are usually regarded as refinement. However, when the welfare of animals is enhanced through successful enrichment programmes, a reduction in the number of animals needed can be expected, because fewer animals might be lost during the course...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General, Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van de Weerd, H. A., Van Loo, P. L., Baumans. V. 2004. Environmental enrichment: room for reduction? Alternatives to Laboratory Animals (ATLA) 32(Supplement 2), 69-71.

Analyzing corticosterone metabolites in fecal samples of mice: a noninvasive technique to monitor stress

In small animals like mice, the monitoring of endocrine functions over time constrained seriously by the adverse effects of blood sampling. Therefore, techniques to monitor, for example, stress hormones in these animals are demanded in laboratory as well as in...

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Touma, C., Palme, R., Sachser, N. 2004. Analyzing corticosterone metabolites in fecal samples of mice: a noninvasive technique to monitor stress. Hormones and Behavior 45, 10-22.

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.