The refinement of primate models for biomedical research (2004)

Hau, J.

Abstract

The relatively recent environmental enrichment practice of housing laboratory primates in pairs is beneficial to their mental and somatic health and a cage mates has been found to reduce stress in experiments involving restraint or similar fear-provoking situations. Apart from health problems such as obesity, group housing in large enclosures may be the optimal for relatively undisturbed primates, but may be associated with a certain stress when animals need to be transferred frequently for experimental protocols. However, if sufficiently competent staff are engaged in training (using positive reinforcement strategies) the primates can be trained to cooperate and move to single cages attached to large group cages for minor procedures. .. When animals are properly conditioned to human handling, pain thresholds are likely to increase and trivial procedures, like restraint and injections, are less likely to be responded to as if they were stressful.