Environmental Enrichment

Effect of different frequencies of music on blood pressure regulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The effect of different frequencies of music on brain function was investigated through measurement of blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Previous studies indicated that exposure to Mozart's music (K. 205) leads to increased calcium/calmodulin-dependent dopamine synthesis in the...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Akiyama, K., Sutoo, D. 2011. Effect of different frequencies of music on blood pressure regulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Neuroscience Letters 487(1), 58-60.

The impact of huts on physiological stress: A refinement in post-transport housing of male guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

The ideal animal model would contribute no confounding variables in experimental science. Variables affect experimental design resulting in increased animal use or repeated studies. We demonstrated a simple refinement which may reduce the number of animals used experimentally while simultaneously...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Relocation & Transport, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Walters, S. L., Torres-Urbano, C. J., Chichester, L. et al. 2012. The impact of huts on physiological stress: A refinement in post-transport housing of male guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). Laboratory Animals 46(3), 220-224.

Environmental enrichment exerts anxiolytic effects in the Indian field mouse (Mus booduga)

The adult male field mouse Mus booduga (n = 42) captured at agricultural field, were housed in non-enriched standard condition (SC) for 7 days and considered as directly from wild (DW). Another two groups of mice were housed in either...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Varmana, D. R., Marimuthub, G., Rajana, K. E. 2012. Environmental enrichment exerts anxiolytic effects in the Indian field mouse (Mus booduga). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 136(2-4), 166-173.

Enrichment materials do not negatively affect reproductive success and offspring survival and weight in mice

Environmental enrichment is designed to improve the overall welfare of laboratory animals, including mice. Few studies have directly assessed the effects of different types of enrichment on mouse offspring survival and growth. The authors examined how survival and growth of...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Shair, H. N., Nunez, Y., Osman, M. M. 2012. Enrichment materials do not negatively affect reproductive success and offspring survival and weight in mice. Lab Animal 41(1), 14-19.

ENRICHMENT as a moral presupposition of animal research

Enrichment is therefore not the bighearted largess that much of the research community seems to believe it is. Rather, it represents an obvious step towards creating a decent life for research animals and minimizing avoidable suffering. The fact that providing...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Rollin, B. E. 2012. ENRICHMENT as a moral presupposition of animal research. Enrichment Record 10, 13-16.

Current practices in a captive breeding colony of 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus)

The authors provide an update to their 2006 report on the successful large-scale captive breeding of the 13-lined ground squirrel (TLGS; Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) in their colony, now a single-source supplier of purpose-bred TLGSs for several research institutions. With funding from...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, ReproductionAnimal Type: Other Rodent, Rodent

Citation: Merriman, D. K., Lahvis, G., Jooss, M. et al. 2012. Current practices in a captive breeding colony of 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Lab Animal 41(11), 315-325.

Gnawing blocks as cage enrichment and dietary supplement for does and fatteners: Intake, performance and behaviour

The aim of this study was to evaluate different experimental gnawing blocks as cage enrichment in rabbits. One hundred and five pregnant rabbit does housed in conventional wire cages were distributed according to their parity number in 4 homogenous treatment...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Maertens, L., Buijs, S., Davoust, C. 2012. Gnawing blocks as cage enrichment and dietary supplement for does and fatteners: Intake, performance and behaviour. World Rabbit Science 21(S1), 185-192.

Tailoring enrichment to GA mice

Philosopher and ethicist Professor Bernard Rollin recently wrote that animal researchers should “do the utmost to minimise animal suffering arising in the course of animal research, and maximise the animal's ability to live a life where the interests and needs...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Fawcett, A. 2012. Tailoring enrichment to GA mice. Enrichment Record 7, 20-24.

Shelter-style environmental enrichment affects neurobehavioral status of laboratory mice

Environmental enrichment aims to improve the wellbeing of laboratory animals and provides an opportunity to improve experimental reliability and validity. Animals raised in more stimulating environments have improved learning and memory as well as more complex brain architecture. However, the...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Coke-Murphy, C. S., Saborido, T. P., Buendia, M. et al. 2012. Shelter-style environmental enrichment affects neurobehavioral status of laboratory mice. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 639-640 (Abstract #PS47).

Designing gum-based enrichment for captive patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas)

In the wild, patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) consume Acacia spp. gum for 20% of their active time. While providing gum-based enrichment to other gummivorous primates is not a unique idea, there have been no reports of captive patas monkeys receiving...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Carey, M. C., West, A. M., Lozano, A. et al. 2012. Designing gum-based enrichment for captive patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas). American Journal of Primatology 74(S1), 42. (35th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #53)