Rodent

Fecal corticoid metabolites in aged male and female rats after husbandry-related disturbances in the colony room

Over a 3-h period, 10 male and 10 female Fischer 344 rats (age, 82 wk) were exposed to a series of events that can occur in a colony housing room (keys jingling, cage lids opening, alteration of the light cycle)....

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Cavigelli, S. A., Guhad, F. A., Ceballos, R. M. et al. 2006. Fecal corticoid metabolites in aged male and female rats after husbandry-related disturbances in the colony room. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science] 45(6), 17-21.

Do audible and ultrasonic sounds of intensities common in animal facilities affect the autonomic nervous system of rodents?

Evidence demonstrates that audible noise and ultrasound have deleterious effects on rodent physiology. ... The data obtained from this study indicate that audible noise, but not ultrasound, affects the ANS. Because the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal systems are under...

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Burwell, A. K. B. A. L. 2006. Do audible and ultrasonic sounds of intensities common in animal facilities affect the autonomic nervous system of rodents? Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 9, 179-200.

Long-term effects of cage-cleaning frequency and bedding type on laboratory rat health, welfare, and handleability: a cross-laboratory study

Cleaning frequency had no clear impact on rat welfare, although frequent cleaning decreased ammonia concentrations and handleability, and non-aggressive skirmishing was highest in weekly cleaned rats. Surprisingly, bedding type did not affect ammonia, but all ammonia readings were unexpectedly low....

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Burn, C. C., Peters, A., Day, M. J. et al. 2006. Long-term effects of cage-cleaning frequency and bedding type on laboratory rat health, welfare, and handleability: a cross-laboratory study . Laboratory Animals 40(4), 353-370.

The effects of environmental enrichment on nesting behaviour in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease

All mice in our colony are housed with some type of igloo or house from birth. In this study, WT and R6/2 male mice appear to build higher quality nests when housed without an igloo. One possible reason for this...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Burgen, P., Glynn, D., Morton, J. 2006. The effects of environmental enrichment on nesting behaviour in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(3), 147-152.

Acute effects of cage cleaning at different frequencies on laboratory rat behaviour and welfare

We found no evidence that cage cleaning caused rats any acute decrease in welfare - a finding consistent with additional data we have obtained on the lack of preference by rats for soiled over clean cages, and a lack of...

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Burn, C. C., Peters, A., Mason, G. J. 2006. Acute effects of cage cleaning at different frequencies on laboratory rat behaviour and welfare. Animal Welfare 15, 161-171.

The effects of rearing condition and enrichment on laboratory mouse immune response, health, and behavior

Animals in the enriched condition did have greater variation for any particular measurement (thymocyte populations).

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hutchinson, E. K., Avery, A., Van de Woude, S. 2006. The effects of rearing condition and enrichment on laboratory mouse immune response, health, and behavior. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 174 (Abstract).

Note on assessing the time of acclimatization of rats after a 5-h transport to a new animal facility

Rats have to recover from the transport for at least 4 days, as reflected by the returning of BT, HR and Act to before transport levels.

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kramer, K., Giral, M., Robert, R. et al. 2006. Note on assessing the time of acclimatization of rats after a 5-h transport to a new animal facility. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 162 (Abstract).

Cortisol responses and social buffering: a study throughout the life span

At four critical life stages of social development (preweaning, periadolescent, sexually but not socially mature, and sexually and socially mature), the same male guinea pigs were exposed to the stressor of exposure to a novel environment for 4 h while...

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Hennessy, M. B., Hornschuh, G., Kaiser, S. et al. 2006. Cortisol responses and social buffering: a study throughout the life span. Hormones and Behavior 49(3), 383-390.

Hair barbering in mice: implications for neurobehavioural research

Barbering (fur/whisker trimming, the Dalila effect) is a behaviour-associated hair and whisker loss frequently seen in laboratory rodents, including mice. Here we analyse barbering behaviour in 129S1, NMRI, C57BL/6 and BALB/c mouse strains and some of their F1 hybrids. Our...

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Kalueff, A. V., Minasyan, A., Keisala, T. et al. 2006. Hair barbering in mice: implications for neurobehavioural research. Behavioural Processes 71, 8-15.

The influence of bedding depth on behaviour in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Hamsters kept with 10 cm deep bedding showed significantly more wire-gnawing and a higher running wheel activity than the hamsters in the other groups. In 80 cm deep bedding wire-gnawing was never observed.... All hamsters in 40 and 80 cm...

Year Published: 2006Animal Type: Hamster, Rodent

Citation: Hauzenberger, A. R., Gebhardt-Henrich, S. G., Steiger, A. 2006. The influence of bedding depth on behaviour in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 100(3-4), 280-294.