Development and implementation of a program for the social housing of nonhuman primates on toxicology studies (2006)

Steinbacher, E. A., Setser, J. J., Morris, T. D. et al.

Abstract

We developed a step-wise procedure for social housing animals (cynomolgus and rhesus) into pairs, triads or quads based on the study design. Nonhuman primates that were socially housed showed signs of better physical and psychological health, thereby greatly reducing abnormal behaviors and stereotypies, such as self-biting, that could potentially compromise study data. Based on the success of our social housing program, all nonhuman primate studies longer than 28 d will be socially housed unless otherwise approved by our institutional ACUC.