Environmental Enrichment

Working with what you’ve got: Changes in thermal preference and behavior in mice with or without nest material

In laboratories mice are typically housed at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 20–24 °C, which are below their average preferred Ta of ≈30 °C. Adjusting laboratory Ta is not a solution because preferences differ depending on activity, time of the day,...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Rohr, S., Lucas, J. R. et al. 2011. Working with what you've got: Changes in thermal preference and behavior in mice with or without nest material. Journal of Thermal Biology. 36(3), 193-199.

Preference for structured environment in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and checker bards (Puntius oligolepis)

Information about the welfare and husbandry of pet and laboratory fish is scarce although millions of fish are sold in pet shops and used in laboratory research every year. Inadequate housing conditions can cause behavioural problems also in fish since...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Kistler, C., Hegglin, D., Würbel, H. et al. 2011. Preference for structured environment in zebrafish (Danio rerio) and checker bards (Puntius oligolepis). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 135(4), 318-327.

A meta-analysis of the combined effect of housing and environmental enrichment characteristics on the behaviour and performance of pigs

To quantify the combined effect of housing conditions and environmental enrichment on the behaviour and performance of pigs, a meta-analysis was performed using information from 45 experiments in 42 published manuscripts. Multiple regression models were applied to evaluate the effects...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Averós, X., Brossard, L., Dourmad, J. et al. 2010. A meta-analysis of the combined effect of housing and environmental enrichment characteristics on the behaviour and performance of pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 127(3-4), 73-85.

Using environmental enrichment to reduce fighting in mice

A colony of mice (base strain C57Bl6) was transferred to Oregon State University. Fighting was observed in six cages of males (2 to 5 mice per cage) at cage change, but not during daily checks. After discussion with the principal...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Araki, A. 2010. Using environmental enrichment to reduce fighting in mice. Tech Talk [The Newsletter for Laboratory Animal Science Technicians] 15(4), 6.

Canine socialization through the use of playrooms or exercise rooms

Comprehensive enrichment programs for dogs, while not required by regulations, are becoming more common in research facilities. Many institutions are providing chewable enrichment devices and pair or group housing for their canine colonies. Human interaction is a species-appropriate enrichment for...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Andrews-Kelly, G. 2010. Canine socialization through the use of playrooms or exercise rooms. Enrichment Record 5, 7-9.

The effects of enhancing cage complexity on the behaviour and welfare of laboratory rats

This experiment was carried out to investigate the long-term effects of enhancing cage complexity on behavioural measures of welfare in laboratory rats. We housed 72 rats in groups of four in either ‘enriched' or ‘unenriched' cages for six weeks. Scan...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Abou-Ismail, U. A., Burman, O. H. P., Nicol, C. J. et al. 2010. The effects of enhancing cage complexity on the behaviour and welfare of laboratory rats. Behavioural Processes 85(2), 172-180.

Termite mound feeders as naturalistic chimpanzee enrichment

These mounds (6 x 4 x 4 ft.) are small enough to fit inside the entrance to the outdoor play yard, yet large enough to prevent the mound from tipping over with several animals on top. First, we constructed a...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Zavaskis, T., Hernandez, D., DiPaolo, B. et al. 2010. Termite mound feeders as naturalistic chimpanzee enrichment. Tech Talk [The Newsletter for Laboratory Animal Science Technicians] 15(4), 1.

The effect of three different items of cage furniture on the behaviour of male C57BL/6J mice in the plus-maze test

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of specific regimens of enrichment on the behaviour of C57BL/6J mice in the elevated plus-maze test (EPM). A total of 192 male C57BL/6J mice were allocated randomly to 32 cages....

Year Published: 2010Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Õkva, K., Nevalainen, T., Mauranen, K. et al. 2010. The effect of three different items of cage furniture on the behaviour of male C57BL/6J mice in the plus-maze test. Animal Welfare 19(4), 401-409.

Decline in aggression in cotton rats through enrichment

The tubes provide shelter and nesting material to the rats, allowing them to exhibit species-specific behaviors. The change in the animals' behavior has been overwhelming. The rats are much less aggressive; in one year, fight wounds in our cotton rats...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Neubauer, T., Buckmaster, C. 2011. Decline in aggression in cotton rats through enrichment. Tech Talk [The Newsletter for Laboratory Animal Science Technicians] 16(4), 2-3.

Effects of environmental enrichment on the production of C57BL/6 mice kept in different housing systems

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment on the performance of C57BL/6 mice kept in conventional animal facilities (open cage; OC) and individually ventilated caging system (IVC). We analyzed the interactions between treatments (enrichment...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Neves, S. 2011. Effects of environmental enrichment on the production of C57BL/6 mice kept in different housing systems. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 788 (Abstract #P201).