Chapter 5.1. Pair Formation and Pair-Housing of Monkeys (2007)

LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum]

Abstract

The PI who does research with our pair-housed rhesus insists that cage companions be separated during the night and on weekends, so that they cannot fight and injure each other while nobody is around. I would love to keep the animals together also during the night, but cannot argue with the PI because I really dont know if that would jeopardize the safety of the animals.In our facility, compatible companions are allowed to remain together also during the night, on weekends and holidays. This applies for both female and male pairs, as well as for all animals who have head cap implants. It has never happened that we found paired animals injured or bruised when entering their room in the early morning. I think there is no special risk when pairs spend the night together without being supervised.We also keep our male and female rhesus pairs together 24/7 and encounter no problems related to aggression during the night.At our facility, after pairs have been established, they are housed together uninterruptedly. This includes male and female isosexual pairs, and each species housed here, including rhesus, pigtails, sooty mangabeys, squirrel monkeys, chimps, and cynos. We have not noticed that paired companions fight during the night, on weekends and holidays when nobody is around.