Abnormal/Problematic Behavior

Incorporation of enrichment objects in threat displays by laboratory rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Self-directed aggression in laboratory macaques is commonly considered an abnormal behavioral pattern signaling psychological disturbance, whether it is in the form of self-injurious behavior (SIB) or is just part of a self-directed threat display (SDD). Objects such as Kong® toys...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Leland, S. P., West, A. M., Erwin, J. M. et al. 2007. Incorporation of enrichment objects in threat displays by laboratory rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 69(S1), 50. (30th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #43)

Chapter 3. Maladaptive behaviors

Animals kept in legally minimum-sized, unstructured enclosures very often exhibit stereotypical behaviors. Traditionally, these repetitive movement patterns without obvious goals or functions are categorized as abnormal. A healthy animal kept in a small, barren enclosure has little choice of expressing...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Chapter 3. Maladaptive behaviors. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 39-45. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Pair-housing eliminates compulsive hair pulling: a case report

At a previous institution we had a cyno who suffered from severe hair pulling. He had removed practically all hair from his body; all that was left was a patch in the middle of his back that he could not...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Minkel, R. 2007. Pair-housing eliminates compulsive hair pulling: a case report. Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum (electronic discussion group), September 27, 2007.

An environmental enrichment tool used to prevent barbering in Ovis aries

Dominant animals were observed performing barbering and the barbering apparently leads to mild puritis as barbered animal subsequently self-barber. .. Observing dominant sheep barbering their cohort, incidence increasing with time in pens, and the lack of detectable underlying medical pathology...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Atkins, P. L., Millsap, L., Thain, D. et al. 2007. An environmental enrichment tool used to prevent barbering in Ovis aries. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 52 (Abstract).

Foraging ?enrichment? as treatment for pterotillomania

This study was performed to determine whether foraging enrichment reduces self-directed psychogenic feather picking (pterotillomania) in parrots. A positive correlation between increased foraging time and improvement of feather score was hypothesised. Eighteen pterotillomanic African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were randomly...

Year Published: 2008Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Lumeij, J. T., Hommers, C. J. 2008. Foraging ?enrichment? as treatment for pterotillomania. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 111(1-2), 85-94 .

Behavioral correlates of alopecia severity in laboratory rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Alopecia in laboratory primates is often regarded as a sign of excessive self-grooming due to social deprivation or insufficient environmental enrichment. The purpose of this study was to examine, in individually housed macaques, the occurrence of alopecia in relation to...

Year Published: 2008Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: West, A. M., Leland, S. P., Lorence, M. A. et al. 2008. Behavioral correlates of alopecia severity in laboratory rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 70(S1), 51. (31st Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #93)

Successful elimination of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): a case study using a combination of risperidone and environmental enrichment

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) can result in open wounds, tissue damage, and increased risk of infection. In many cases, increased environmental enrichment is not consistently effective in eliminating this behavior. We report here on the successful elimination of SIB in a...

Year Published: 2008Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Videan, E. N., Ely, J., Lammey, M. et al. 2008. Successful elimination of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): a case study using a combination of risperidone and environmental enrichment. American Journal of Primatology 70(S1), 50. (31st Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #91)

Understanding feather eating behaviour in laying hens

In the present study, high feather pecking (HFP) and low feather pecking (LFP) birds were used to investigate if the lines differ in their willingness to work for food or feathers in the presence of freely available identical substrates. Twenty...

Year Published: 2009Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Harlander-Matauschek, A., Hӓusler, K. 2009. Understanding feather eating behaviour in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 117(1-2), 35-41.

A psychologic wellbeing response plan for nonhuman primates

Under animal care situations that conform to compliance standards for environmental enrichment established by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and the Guide to the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, at least 10% of laboratory macaques exhibit abnormal behavior, with...

Year Published: 2009Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Camacho, J. N., Moeller, E., Morris, J. 2009. A psychologic wellbeing response plan for nonhuman primates. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 558 (Abstract #PS84).

Risk factors and remediation of self-injurious and self-abuse behavior in rhesus macaques

Considered signs of decreased welfare--abnormal behaviors such as self-injury and self-abuse among nonhuman primates housed in the laboratory--may put into question the validity and reliability of scientific research using these animals as models. Providing environmental enrichment decreases the incidence of...

Year Published: 2009Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Rommeck, I., Anderson, K., Heagerty, A. et al. 2009. Risk factors and remediation of self-injurious and self-abuse behavior in rhesus macaques. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 12(1), 61-72.