Housing

Effects of perforated cage dividers on rabbit behavior.

Based on study observations and the natural history of wild rabbits, bucks engage in affiliative social behaviors, but current caging may not allow enough space for the expression of species-typical behaviors, thereby resulting in continued aggression. In this study, we...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Martin, J., Newell, M., Deemer, S. 2025. Effects of perforated cage dividers on rabbit behavior. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 13(6) (November/December), 24-28.

Transfer to a naturalistic setting restructures fear responses in laboratory mice

Appropriate classification of a novel stimulus as threatening or benign depends on a repertoire of prior environmental experiences involving challenge, risk, and opportunity1,2. Without this library, individuals may classify harmless stimuli as dangerous — a hallmark of generalized anxiety1,2. In...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken, Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Zipple, M. N., Loflin, B., Kuo, D. C. et al. 2025. Transfer to a naturalistic setting restructures fear responses in laboratory mice. Current Biology 35(24), R1175–R1176.

Preferential space use exhibited by individual orangutans in an innovative enclosure at Auckland Zoo

To meet the needs of socially complex primates, modern zoo enclosures are designed to include structural, sensory, food-based, and tactile enrichment, as well as opportunities to express the behavioral preferences of zoo-housed individuals. The welfare of captive primates is commonly...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Steiner, H., Malone, N., Battles, H. T. 2025. Preferential space use exhibited by individual orangutans in an innovative enclosure at Auckland Zoo. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(4), 703–714.

Individually ventilated cages severely attenuate inter-cage ultrasonic vocalizations in rats

Individually ventilated cages (IVCs) benefit rodent and researcher health but may limit animals’ ability to communicate with cage-neighbours via ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). Despite USVs’ importance in rodent social behaviour, no previous research has investigated IVCs’ impact on between-cage USV transmission....

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Scott, K. J., Bilkey, D. K. 2025. Individually ventilated cages severely attenuate inter-cage ultrasonic vocalizations in rats. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(4), 730–739.

Effects of partial cage dividers on animal welfare and social behavior in California mice (Peromyscus californicus)

California mice (Peromyscus californicus) are an important model species for studying social behaviors that are not readily expressed in standard laboratory mouse and rat lines. Under natural conditions, this species is highly territorial, and both males and females exhibit high...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Knollenberg, B. L., Dye, A. F., Oakland, Z. T. et al. 2026. Effects of partial cage dividers on animal welfare and social behavior in California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 296, 106905.

Try before you buy: Preferences for naturalistic-style enclosures are influenced by experience in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

To ensure their welfare in captivity, reptiles are typically provided enclosures that aim to mimic their natural environment, as such enclosures may be preferred and better facilitate important behaviours. Research has frequently supported this principle, and has often found that...

Year Published: 2026Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile

Citation: Denommé, M., Tattersall, G. J. 2026. Try before you buy: Preferences for naturalistic-style enclosures are influenced by experience in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 295, 106887.

Environmental downgrading to battery cages induces depression-like states in hens

Depression is one of the most common and impairing mental health disorders in humans. Captive animals may also experience depression-like states, particularly under restrictive housing conditions and in individuals with higher vulnerability to stressors (e.g. more fearful). This study investigated...

Year Published: 2026Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Calderón-Amor, J., Lecorps, B., Luna, D. et al. 2026. Environmental downgrading to battery cages induces depression-like states in hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 297, 106908.

Shelved cages impact affective behavior in Sprague Dawley rats – implications for animal welfare

Laboratory animal welfare has received increasing attention in recent years as housing protocols move toward favoring environments that allow natural behaviors. Within this study, the effects of housing male and female Sprague Dawley rats in standard cages versus taller cages...

Year Published: 2026Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Bigelow, L. J., Pope, E. K., Lee, C. P. et al. 2026. Shelved cages impact affective behavior in Sprague Dawley rats – implications for animal welfare. Laboratory Animals 60(1), 53–62.

Transfer to a naturalistic setting restructures fear responses in laboratory mice

Appropriate classification of a novel stimulus as threatening or benign depends on a repertoire of prior environmental experiences involving challenge, risk, and opportunity. Without this library, individuals may classify harmless stimuli as dangerous — a hallmark of generalized anxiety. In...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Zipple, M. N., Loflin, B., Kuo, D. C. et al. 2025. Transfer to a naturalistic setting restructures fear responses in laboratory mice. Current Biology 35(24), R1175–R1176.

Opportunities for refinement of non-human primate vaccine studies

Non-human primates (NHPs) are used extensively in the development of vaccines and therapeutics for human disease. High standards in the design, conduct, and reporting of NHP vaccine studies are crucial for maximizing their scientific value and translation, and for making...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Humane Endpoint, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Prescott, M. J., Clark, C., Dowling, W. E. et al. 2021. Opportunities for refinement of non-human primate vaccine studies. Vaccines 9(3), 284.