Rodent

Let sleeping rats lie: Does the timing of husbandry procedures affect laboratory rat behaviour, physiology and welfare?

Light phase treatment rats thus displayed indicators of reduced welfare (e.g. less sleep, elevated chromodacryorrhoea, lighter thymus glands, higher aggression) relative to dark phase treatment rats. Therefore, husbandry procedures applied in the dark rather than the light phase might improve...

Year Published: 2008Animal Type: Rat

Citation: Abou-Ismail, U. A., Burman, O. H. P., Nicol, C. J. et al. 2008. Let sleeping rats lie: Does the timing of husbandry procedures affect laboratory rat behaviour, physiology and welfare? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 111(3-4), 329-341.

Novel food items as environmental enrichment for rodents and rabbits

This column discusses the use of novel dietary supplements as environmental enrichment for rodents and rabbits. Items are commercially available from lab animal supply companies. The purpose of enrichment is to encourage behaviors that are appropriate for a particular species...

Year Published: 2009Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Other Rodent, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Brown, C. 2009. Novel food items as environmental enrichment for rodents and rabbits. Lab Animal 38(4), 119-120.

Enhanced enrichment for rodents in negative pressure isolators

The newly introduced Nestpak is easily applied and has been created to enrich this basic environment and diminish signs of impaired welfare.

Year Published: 2009Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rodent

Citation: Brough, E. 2009. Enhanced enrichment for rodents in negative pressure isolators. Animal Technology and Welfare 8, 189-190.

Effects of bedding material and running wheel surface on paw wounds in male and female Syrian hamsters

The present study investigated the effects of bedding material (pine shavings versus beta chip) and running wheel surfaces (standard metal bars versus metal bars covered with a plastic mesh) on the occurrence of wounds on the paws of male and...

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Hamster, Rodent

Citation: Beaulieu, A., Reebs, S. G. 2009. Effects of bedding material and running wheel surface on paw wounds in male and female Syrian hamsters . Laboratory Animals 43, 85-90.

Individual housing of mice – Impact on behaviour and stress responses

The replicability of results derived from studies in rodents might be influenced by stress caused by inappropriate housing conditions. Here we compared the experimental behaviour and stress response (circulating corticosterone level and adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase activity) of individually-housed male and...

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Arndt SS, Laarakker MC, van Lith HA, et al. 2009. Individual housing of mice - Impact on behaviour and stress responses. Physio and Behav. 97;385-93.

Social buffering of the stress response: Diversity, mechanisms, and functions

Protracted or repeated activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) system is associated with a variety of physical and psychological pathologies. Studies dating back to the 1970s have documented many cases in which the presence of a social companion can moderate HPA...

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Bird, Dog, Finch, Guinea Pig, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Rat, Rodent, Sheep, Squirrel Monkey

Citation: Hennessy MB, Kaiser S, Sachser N. 2009. Social buffering of the stress response: Diversity, mechanisms, and functions. Frontiers in Neuroendocrin. 30;470-82.

Environmental Enrichment for Laboratory Rodents

Survey data on current enrichment practices in a large multi-institutional organization are presented, and practical aspects requiring consideration when devising a rodent enrichment program are discussed.

Year Published: 2009Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rodent

Citation: Hutchinson, E., Avery, A., Van de Woude, S. 2009. Environmental Enrichment for Laboratory Rodents. Enrichment Record (online publication) 1.

Effect of playful handling during routine care on anxiety-related responses of laboratory rats

Regular playful handling reduced fear of familiar humans but did not decrease anxiety.

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Rat

Citation: Cloutier, S., Panksepp, J., Newberry, R. C. 2009. Effect of playful handling during routine care on anxiety-related responses of laboratory rats. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 80 (Abstract).

Development of a standard operating procedure for warming hypothermic mice due to flooded caging

Leakage from the water valves on rodent automatic water systems can cause flooding and animals to become hypothermic if not found early. ... The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal timing and distance for placement when using...

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hedrick, C. S., Chipps, J., Hickman-Davis, J. 2009. Development of a standard operating procedure for warming hypothermic mice due to flooded caging. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 109 (Abstract).

Blood collection from the sublingual vein in mice and hamsters: a suitable alternative to retrobulbar technique that provides large volumes and minimizes tissue damage

Blood examination is a key element in studies of laboratory animals. In rodents, retrobulbar venous plexus puncture is a commonly used method for obtaining a blood sample. Although this technique yields large volumes of blood, the disadvantage is that it...

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Hamster, Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Heimann, M., Kasermann, H. P., Pfister, R. et al. 2009. Blood collection from the sublingual vein in mice and hamsters: a suitable alternative to retrobulbar technique that provides large volumes and minimizes tissue damage . Laboratory Animals 43, 255-260.