Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment and mouse models: Current perspectives

The provision of environmental enrichment to numerous species of laboratory animals is generally considered routine husbandry. However, mouse enrichment has proven to be very complex due to the often contradictory outcomes (animal health and welfare, variability in scientific data, etc.)...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Bayne, K. 2018. Environmental enrichment and mouse models: Current perspectives. Animal Models and Experimental Medicine 1(2), 82-90.

DIY: Dehydrated watermelon training chips

This simple DIY training treat is great for NHP, swine, rabbits, rodents, and dogs. Note that dehydrated watermelon may resemble muscle tissue!

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Chinchilla, Dog, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Lambert, K. 2021. DIY: Dehydrated watermelon training chips. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 9(4) (July/August), 48.

Animal-appropriate housing of ball pythons (Python regius)—Behavior-based evaluation of two types of housing systems

Considering animal welfare, animals should be kept in animal-appropriate and stress-free housing conditions in all circumstances. To assure such conditions, not only basic needs must be met, but also possibilities must be provided that allow animals in captive care to...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Reptile, Snake

Citation: Hollandt, T., Baur, M., Wöhr, A.-C. 2021. Animal-appropriate housing of ball pythons (Python regius)—Behavior-based evaluation of two types of housing systems. PLOS ONE 16(5), e0247082.

DIY: Acacia gum sealed paper straws

This DIY snack is great for NHP and can be customized in a variety of ways.

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Lambert, K. 2021. DIY: Acacia gum sealed paper straws. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 9(3) (May/June), 37.

Constructing and programming a cost-effective murine running wheel with digital revolution counter

Voluntary wheel running is a valuable metabolic intervention and well-established measure of physical activity in preclinical rodent models. Herein, we describe detailed assembly instructions and provide necessary resources for researchers to build their own running wheels from commercial-off-the-shelf parts and...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Edwards, J., Olson, B., Marks, D.L. 2021. Constructing and programming a cost-effective murine running wheel with digital revolution counter. Lab Animal 50, 202-204.

Using paper nest pucks to prevent barbering in C57BL/6 mice

Little research has been conducted to examine the influence of various methods of providing nest materials—such as dispersing them, providing them as single units, or clustering them—on the behavior and welfare of group-housed mice. In this study, 6 wk-old C57BL/6NCrl...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Moody, C. M., Paterson, E. A. Leroux-Petersen, D. et al. 2021. Using paper nest pucks to prevent barbering in C57BL/6 mice. JAALAS 60(2), 133-138.

Behavior of pigs in the growth phase raised in an enriched environment

In this study we aimed to evaluate the behavior of pigs raised in an enriched environment. 12 male piglets, hybrids between 35 and 105 days of age were used. We assessed the behavioral variables: sleeping, standing, lying down, exploring, wallowing,...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Ferreira Vasconcelos, E. K., da Silva Borges, L., Lopes da Silva, Â. et al. 2015. Behavior of pigs in the growth phase raised in an enriched environment. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 3(4), 120-123.

Behavior of swine hosted in facilities with different construction typologies

The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior of pigs housed in facilities with different building typologies in terms of the floor and partitions. Two treatments were compared: a pen containing an area with a depth of water,...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Cecchin, D., Torres Campos, A., Sodré Amaral, P. I. et al. 2019. Behavior of swine hosted in facilities with different construction typologies. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 7(1), 6-10.

Flavored sisal ropes as environmental enrichment for nursery piglets

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the behavior of piglets in the nursery phase in the presence of pure sisal ropes, soaked with different flavors as a means of environmental enrichment. Sixty-four piglets with 35 days of...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Da Silva Maciel de Souza, J. C., Alves, L. K. S., Guimarães, E. B. B. et al. 2020. Flavored sisal ropes as environmental enrichment for nursery piglets. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 8(4), 308-312.

Swimming and diving as social play in juvenile rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Although play is ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom, and in primates especially, the ultimate explanations and proximate mechanisms of play are not well understood. Previous research proposes that primate play may be important for the development of cognitive skills including...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Arre, A. M., Horschler, D. J. 2021. Swimming and diving as social play in juvenile rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Behaviour 158(6), 529-546.