Environmental Enrichment

Let’s stay together: Implications of social housing for laboratory pig welfare and management

Appropriately accommodating the pig's normal social behavior is an essential step in protecting its well-being in managed environments. Doing so is particularly important in laboratory settings in which distress due to social isolation and other factors can introduce unnecessary variability...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal Interaction, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Croney, C. 2014. Let's stay together: Implications of social housing for laboratory pig welfare and management. Enrichment Record 19, 14-19.

Primates Presents

In the world of enrichment, ideas can be limitless. Sometimes, you just have to think outside the box... or in this case, "inside the box"! Who doesn't love a present with the colorful exterior and a surprise interior? This is...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Callan, T. 2014. Primates Presents. Enrichment Record 18, 5-6.

Freebies for felines

Institutions are in a never-ending budget battle and items like environmental enrichment tend to get overshadowed. The challenge for laboratory animal technicians is to put on their thinking caps and find novel, low-cost enrichment items for animals in their care....

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Watson, C., Garman, K. A. 2014. Freebies for felines. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 573. (Abstract #P93).

Presence of nesting material does not prevent ability to accurately identify sick or dead mice during routine health checking

Whether nesting material assists or hinders the ability to identify sick mice during routine health check is a widely debated topic. Currently, our large and diverse academic research institution is exploring the possibility of providing nesting material to all of...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Burlingame, L. A., Lofgren, J. L. 2014. Presence of nesting material does not prevent ability to accurately identify sick or dead mice during routine health checking. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 603 (Abstract #P204).

Environmental enrichment for Xenopus laevis

Environmental enrichment has become an important aspect of animal husbandry within research facilities. Such enrichment has been shown to improve the quality of life for research animals and provide a more natural habitat. Different enrichment tools are used to benefit...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: Therrian, S. 2014. Environmental enrichment for Xenopus laevis. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 583. (Abstract #P133).

Fresh wood reduces tail and ear biting and increases exploratory behaviour in finishing pigs

Chewing and rooting are high behavioural priorities in pigs. Lack of suitable materials can lead to abnormal behaviours such as tail and ear biting. In commercial farming, slatted floors limit the use of straw, and various point-source objects have therefore...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Telkanranta, H., Bracke, M. B. M., Valros, A. 2014. Fresh wood reduces tail and ear biting and increases exploratory behaviour in finishing pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 161, 51-59.

What do zebrafish want? Impact of social grouping, dominance and gender on preference for enrichment

Although environmental enrichment is known to improve laboratory rodent wellbeing and enhance scientific data collection, relatively little is known with regards to the type of enrichment that might be useful for zebrafish (Danio rerio). Therefore, this study explored if zebrafish...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Schroeder, P., Jones, S., Young, I. S. et al. 2014. What do zebrafish want? Impact of social grouping, dominance and gender on preference for enrichment. Laboratory Animals 48(4), 328-337.

Useful rodent enrichment: Party in a bag

Based on standard practice, all laboratory animals should be given enrichment for physical and mental wellbeing. However, depending on the type of enrichment, it can become costly or impede with accurate health observations. We assessed different types of enrichment to...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Schroen, A., Dunbar, M., Hughes, L. J. 2014. Useful rodent enrichment: Party in a bag. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 575-576. (Abstract #P102).

Effect of hiding places, straw and territory on aggression in group-housed rabbit does

Group-housing of rabbit does may be preferred from welfare point of view. However, group-housing causes agonistic behaviour which may cause severe injuries. Severe injuries may be prevented by offering hiding places for attacked does. Providing enrichment (straw) may reduce agonistic...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Rommers, J. M., Reuvekamp, B. J. F., Gunnink, H. et al. 2014. Effect of hiding places, straw and territory on aggression in group-housed rabbit does. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 157, 117-126.

Toys and technicians: 2 keys to a successful enrichment program for singly housed felines

Social or group housing is well known as the ideal environment for maintaining cats in a research setting as it allows specific behaviors such as play, grooming, and climbing. When social housing is not possible, enrichment items and personnel interactions...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Nowlan, S. Y., Burlingame, L. A., Na, J. et al. 2014. Toys and technicians: 2 keys to a successful enrichment program for singly housed felines. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 583. (Abstract #P132).