Housing

Clinical pathology laboratory values of rats housed in wire-bottom cages compared with those of rats housed in solid-bottom cages

Our laboratory data were evaluated by a board-approved veterinary clincical phathologist, who determined that there were no clincially relevant differences between the two groups.

Year Published: 2006Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sauer, M. B., Dulac, H., Clark, S. et al. 2006. Clinical pathology laboratory values of rats housed in wire-bottom cages compared with those of rats housed in solid-bottom cages. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science] 45(1), 30-35.

Refinement of the use of non-human primates in scientific research

In this second part of a three-part review we summarise published information on housing and husbandry practices, and describe ways to minimise contingent inhumanity associated with the use of primates in laboratories and their breeding and supply (where inhumanity is...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Rennie, A. E., Buchanan-Smith, H. M. 2006. Refinement of the use of non-human primates in scientific research. Part II: housing, husbandry and acquisition. Animal Welfare 15, 215-238.

Presence of a privacy divider increases proximity in pair-housed rhesus monkeys

We observed twenty-five pairs of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) both with and without the presence of a privacy divider. Monkeys spent significantly more time in the same half of the pair-cage when the divider was in place. Subjects were fifty...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Basile, B. M., Hampton, R. R., Chaudhry, A. M. et al. 2007. Presence of a privacy divider increases proximity in pair-housed rhesus monkeys. Animal Welfare 16(1), 37-39.

The effects of increased space, complexity and choice, together with their loss, on the behavior of a family group of Callithrix jacchus: A case study

In conclusion, enhanced levels of space, complexity and choice may have a positiveinfluence on the behavior of family-housed marmosets. Moreover, the loss of a larger and more complex enclosure might have detrimental effects on the behavior and the social interactions...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Badihi, I., Morris, K., Buchanan-Smith, H. M. 2007. The effects of increased space, complexity and choice, together with their loss, on the behavior of a family group of Callithrix jacchus: A case study. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 46(4), 1-2.

Do mice benefit from prefabricated dwellings? A discussion by the Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum

I conclude from our discussion that commercial prefabricated dwellings for mice are useful only if they are made of GLP-accepted material that the animals can readily gnaw and convert into nesting and bedding material. Since mice have a biologically inherent...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Barley, J., Francis, R., Van Loo, P. et al. 2006. Do mice benefit from prefabricated dwellings? A discussion by the Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(1), 13-15.

Effects of cage size and enrichment on aggression and stereotypic behavior in three strains of laboratory mice

For female mice, increased complexity of space is more important than the quantity of space.

Year Published: 2007Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Forsyth, N., Young, G., Mench, J. 2007. Effects of cage size and enrichment on aggression and stereotypic behavior in three strains of laboratory mice. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 26 (Abstract).

Behaviour of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) kept in four different cage sizes

Cages for laboratory and pet hamsters are usually small. Using video recordings, the behaviour of sixty female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), housed individually in four different cage sizes, was compared in order to draw conclusions about their welfare. The cage...

Year Published: 2007Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Hamster, Rodent

Citation: Fischer, K., Gebhardt-Henrich, S. G., Steiger, A. 2007. Behaviour of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) kept in four different cage sizes. Animal Welfare 16(1), 85-93.

The effect of hiding enrichment on stress levels and behaviour of domestic cats (Felis sylvestris catus) in a shelter setting and the implications for adoption potential

Results of this study suggest that the welfare of kennelled cats is greatly improved if they are provided with the opportunity to perform effective hiding behavior, and that the ability to perform such a behaviour does not decrease the likelihood...

Year Published: 2007Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Kry, K., Casey, R. 2007. The effect of hiding enrichment on stress levels and behaviour of domestic cats (Felis sylvestris catus) in a shelter setting and the implications for adoption potential. Animal Welfare 16(3), 375-383.

A renewed look at laboratory rodent housing and management

In this article, recent publications are examined to determine the potential impact of new scientific evidence on current practices for the housing and care of laboratory rodents. The discussion points out recent advances in technology and new knowledge of the...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Gonder, J. C., Laber, K. 2007. A renewed look at laboratory rodent housing and management. ILAR Journal 48(1), 29-46.

Legal space requirement stipulations

It would be a lot easier for us to improve the housing conditions for our animals if we had some legal regulations prescribing the quality of the enclosure space rather than just its minimum size. Perhaps, experts of the various...

Year Published: 2007Topics: HousingAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum] 2007. Legal space requirement stipulations. In: Making Lives Easier for Animals in Research Labs: Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum. Baumans, V., Coke, C., Green, J., Moreau, E., Morton, D., Patterson-Kane, E., Reinhardt, A., Reinhardt, V., Van Loo, P. (eds), 30-32. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.