Abnormal/Problematic Behavior

Cage enrichment and mouse behaviour

Mice housed in standard cages show impaired brain development, abnormal repetitive behaviours (stereotypies) and an anxious behavioural profile, all of which can be lessened by making the cage environment more stimulating. But concerns have been raised that enriched housing might...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Wolfer, D. P., Litvin, O., Morf, S. et al. 2004. Cage enrichment and mouse behaviour. Nature 432, 821-822.

Housing and stereotyped behaviour: Some observations from an indoor colony of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops)

Adult females displaying stereotypies in single cages were exposed sequentially to a foraging log and an exercise cage, as well as cages of varying complexity and dimensions. In another study females and males housed single in the bottom row, and...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Seier, J. V., Loza, J., Benjamin, L. 2004. Housing and stereotyped behaviour: Some observations from an indoor colony of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops). Folia Primatologica 75(Supplement 1), 332. (Primate Meeting Abstract)

The role of the image of a conspecific in the regulation of stereotypic head movements in the horse

Weaving was significantly less when the horses were provided with the image of a horse's face (mean percentage of observations +/- S.E.M.; 5.56 +/- 1.57), compared to both the pixilated (14.85 +/- 3.06) and white (20.52 +/- 4.12) images. Nodding...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Mills, D. S., Riezebos, M. 2005. The role of the image of a conspecific in the regulation of stereotypic head movements in the horse . Applied Animal Behaviour Science 91, 155-165.

Stereotypies and other abnormal repetitive behaviors: Potential impact on validity, reliability, and replicability of scientific outcomes

Normal behavior plays a key role in facilitating homeostasis, especially by allowing the animal to control and modify its environment. Captive environments may interfere with these behavioral responses, and the resulting stress may alter many physiological parameters. Abnormal behaviors indicate...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Garner, J. P. 2005. Stereotypies and other abnormal repetitive behaviors: Potential impact on validity, reliability, and replicability of scientific outcomes. ILAR Journal 46(2), 106-117.

The Welfare of Cats

This book covers the major issues affecting the welfare of domestic cats. It covers recent developments in our understanding of cat behaviour, considers the ways in which cat welfare is assessed, and addresses the successes and failures of the relationship...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Reproduction, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Rochlitz, I. (Ed.) 2007. The Welfare of Cats. Springer: Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 283 pp.

The effects of fluoxetine and buspirone on self-injurious and stereotypic behavior in adult male rhesus macaques

Fluoxetine and buspirone were significantly effective in reducing rates of self-biting during treatment weeks 1 to 8 and self-directed stereotypic behavior during weeks 5 to 12 and post-treatment. No significant effect of either treatment on hair-plucking, stereotypic pacing, saluting, or...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Fontenot, M. B., Padgett, E. E., Dupuy, A. M. et al. 2005. The effects of fluoxetine and buspirone on self-injurious and stereotypic behavior in adult male rhesus macaques. Comparative Medicine 55(1), 67-74.

The efficacy of diazepam treatment for the management of acute wounding episodes in captive rhesus macaques

This study examined the effects of diazepam (Valium) on self-wounding and other abnormal behaviors in eight individually housed male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Each monkey's response to an anxiolytic dose of diazepam (1 mg/kg or greater orally) was compared with...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Tiefenbacher, S., Fahey, M. A., Rowlett, J. K. et al. 2005. The efficacy of diazepam treatment for the management of acute wounding episodes in captive rhesus macaques. Comparative Medicine 55(4), 387-392.

Use of low-dose chlorpromazine in conjunction with environmental enrichment to eliminate self-injurious behavior in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta)

A 7-year-old, captive-bred, female rhesus macaque was placed in a quarantine facility upon arrival at our institution. At release from quarantine, she was observed pawing at and chewing on her left cheek. ... SIB in this animals seemed likely in...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Taylor, D. K., Bass, T., Flory, G. S. et al. 2005. Use of low-dose chlorpromazine in conjunction with environmental enrichment to eliminate self-injurious behavior in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). Comparative Medicine 55(3), 282-288.

Diazepam is more effective than midazolam when used as an aid in chair training non-human primates

Non-human primates (NHPs) are utilized frequently in biomedical research and can be difficult and sometimes dangerous to handle. Because of this, restraint is sometimes necessary for data collection. Restraint chair training is generally a straightforward process, however, not all animals...

Year Published: 2005Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, RestraintAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Skoumbourdis, E. K., Potratz, K. 2005. Diazepam is more effective than midazolam when used as an aid in chair training non-human primates. American Journal of Primatology 66(S1), 164. (28th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #176)

Psychopathology in great apes: concepts, treatment options and possible homologies to human psychiatric disorders

Many captive great apes show gross behavioral abnormalities such as stereotypies, self-mutilation, inappropriate aggression, fear or withdrawal, which impede attempts to integrate these animals in existing or new social groups. These abnormal behaviors resemble symptoms associated with psychiatric disorders in...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Bruene, M., Bruene-Cohrs, U., McGrew, W. C. et al. 2006. Psychopathology in great apes: concepts, treatment options and possible homologies to human psychiatric disorders. Neuroscience Biobehavioral Reviews 30, 1246-1259.