Abnormal/Problematic Behavior

Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals

This 30-chapter volume informs students and professionals about the behavioral biology of animals commonly housed in laboratory and other captive settings. Each species evolved under specific environmental conditions, resulting in unique behavioral patterns, many of which are maintained in captivity...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Salamander, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Coleman, K., Schapiro, S. J. (Eds.) 2022. Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals (1st Ed.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 560 p.

Evaluating the co-occurrence of abnormal behaviors in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

For decades, welfare scientists have focused on investigating and mitigating the abnormal behaviors—including repetitive stereotypic behaviors and abnormal stances/postures—displayed by chimpanzees residing in professionally managed settings. In an effort to design feasible and practical welfare assessments, researchers often pool abnormal...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Whitham, J. C., Hall, K., Miller, L. J. 2025. Evaluating the co-occurrence of abnormal behaviors in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Primatology 87(2), e70001.

Meta-analysis on the effect of foraging on feather pecking and feather coverage

Feather pecking (FP) has been a longstanding concern in avian welfare because of its potential to inflict harm on bird plumage. Researchers have proposed the redirection hypothesis in studies investigating factors influencing FP, positing that pecking feathers serve as a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Wen, J., Yang, S., Zhu, J. et al. 2025. Meta-analysis on the effect of foraging on feather pecking and feather coverage. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106584.

Increasing cage complexity reduces abnormal behaviours in farmed blue foxes

We studied the long-term effects of biweekly rotated enrichment objects and a permanent shelter screen on abnormal behaviour, daily activity, and stress physiology in juvenile female blue foxes (aged 3–9 months). The experiment lasted seven months, from August to February, following...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Ojala, E. A., Valros, A., Mononen, J. 2025. Increasing cage complexity reduces abnormal behaviours in farmed blue foxes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 284, 106559.

Elastic motivation for circuit running behaviour in captive African striped mice Rhabdomys dilectus: A consumer demand approach

Captive environments often result in repetitive locomotor behaviours in animals, yet the motivation for these behaviours remains poorly understood. We investigated whether circuit running in African striped mice Rhabdomys dilectus represents a necessary coping mechanism or a flexible, cost-sensitive behaviour,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Other Rodent, Rodent

Citation: Hartman, K.-J., Joshi, S., Pillay, N. 2025. Elastic motivation for circuit running behaviour in captive African striped mice Rhabdomys dilectus: A consumer demand approach. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 289, 106693.

Behavioral or nutritional drive: Which motivation affects rates of food grinding in CD1 mice?

Wire mouse feeders used in laboratory mouse cages typically hold enough food to feed 5 mice for two weeks. However, some mice gnaw the food provided into powder, which they do not ingest. The ground-up food fills the cage, resulting...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Davis, H., Gosselin, R. P. et al. 2025. Behavioral or nutritional drive: Which motivation affects rates of food grinding in CD1 mice? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 284, 106533.

Investigating the motivations of repetitive barrier interactions in Pogona vitticeps

Considerable research has demonstrated that the effective management of repetitive behaviours such as bar-biting and pacing relies upon understanding their motivations; however, this same research has revealed that repetitive behaviours can have a diverse array of motivations. In reptiles, repetitive...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile

Citation: Denommé, M., Tattersall, G. J. 2025. Investigating the motivations of repetitive barrier interactions in Pogona vitticeps. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 283, 106484.

Analysis of risk factors of feather pecking injurious behavior in experimentally raised Yangzhou goslings in China (2025)

Feather pecking can influence the welfare and health concerns of all farmed poultry and affect production and economic aspects. Although some information is available about feather pecking behavior in chickens and ducks, the risk factors of feather pecking in goslings...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Wang, M., Wang, G., Gu, W. et al. 2025. Analysis of risk factors of feather pecking injurious behavior in experimentally raised Yangzhou goslings in China. Animals 15(5), 616.

Risk factors for barbering in laboratory mice (2025)

Barbering is a common abnormal behavior in laboratory mice, where mice pluck their own fur and/or the fur or whiskers of their cage mates. Barbering mice are a concern for welfare and research quality, as well as serving as a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ratuski, A. S., Theil, J. H., Ahloy-Dallaire, J. et al. 2025. Risk factors for barbering in laboratory mice. Scientific Reports 15(1), 7456.

What are the most prevalent welfare issues for pet small mammals? (2025)

The welfare of pet small mammals is an understudied, but growing research topic in the UK and Europe. We surveyed European veterinary experts who each rated severity and prevalence of a large number of issues in the eight most common...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Handling, HousingAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Other Rodent, Rabbit, Rodent

Citation: Fenton, L., Benato, L., Mancinelli, E. et al. 2025. What are the most prevalent welfare issues for pet small mammals? Animals 15(10), 1423.