Rodent

Sedation efficacy of midazolam in conjunction with ketamine and alfaxalone in female laboratory guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Guinea pigs have been integral as models used in biomedical research, making significant contributions to nutritional, auditory, immunologic, and hypersensitivity studies, and necessitating the routine need for sedation in laboratory settings. The ketamine-xylazine (KX) combination has been the standard sedation...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Wharton, K. N., Walsh, C. A., Haulter, M. et al. 2024. Sedation efficacy of midazolam in conjunction with ketamine and alfaxalone in female laboratory guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). JAALAS 63(5), 572–580.

Effect of adopting a timothy hay–based diet at weaning or in adulthood on urinary tract parameters in strain 13/N guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Type of feed is an important consideration in herbivore colony management, yet limited studies report on the effects of diet on common conditions such as urolithiasis in guinea pigs. Urolithiasis is a well-documented cause of lower urinary tract disease in...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Wier, R. C., Flietstra, T. D., Coleman-McCray, J. D. et al. 2024. Effect of adopting a timothy hay–based diet at weaning or in adulthood on urinary tract parameters in strain 13/N guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). JAALAS 63(4), 385–396.

Can you dig it? The impact of a movable substrate “dig pit” on naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) behavior and welfare

Zoos are often limited by exhibit design in the opportunities they can provide animals to express natural behaviors; however, the opportunity to perform certain natural behaviors is key to supporting good animal welfare. Traditionally, in zoos, naked mole rats (Heterocephalus...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mole Rat, Rodent

Citation: Wierzal, N. K., Keeley, L., Fidino, M. et al. 2024. Can you dig it? The impact of a movable substrate “dig pit” on naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) behavior and welfare. Zoo Biology 43(5), 470–480.

Effects of supplemental diet during breeding on fertility, litter size, survival rate, and weaning weight in mice (Mus musculus)

The addition of supplemental diets to laboratory animals, specifically rodents, is a common practice for the provision of additional nutritional support. We set out to investigate whether the use of commercially available supplemental diets during breeding affected fertility rate, litter...

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

Citation: Wong, R. K., Carriero, S. J., Wadsworth, B. C. et al. 2024. Effects of supplemental diet during breeding on fertility, litter size, survival rate, and weaning weight in mice (Mus musculus). JAALAS 63(5), 480–487.

Effects of nesting material and housing parameters on feed wastage behavior in female Swiss Webster mice

Feed wastage in laboratory mice, also known as chewing or grinding behavior, is problematic for program management and animal welfare. The destruction of pelleted feed without consumption produces a powder accumulation on the cage floor called orts. Ort accumulation disrupts...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Zawacki, Z. E., Sharpe, J. A., Porco, T. C. et al. 2024. Effects of nesting material and housing parameters on feed wastage behavior in female Swiss Webster mice. JAALAS 63(5), 495–503.

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.