Housing

Tortoise husbandry and welfare

Keeping captive tortoises healthy and well is a significant challenge. Because they are ectotherms, these reptiles are totally dependent upon external sources to maintain body temperature and therefore metabolic function. Their physical environment is vital for them to remain healthy...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & Management, ReproductionAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Williams, J. 2025. Tortoise husbandry and welfare. CABI. Boston, USA. 291 pp.

Housing and husbandry factors affecting zebrafish novel tank test responses: A global multi-laboratory study

The reproducibility crisis in bioscience, characterized by inconsistent study results, impedes our understanding of biological processes. Global collaborative studies offer a unique solution to this problem. Here, we present a global collaboration using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) novel tank test,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Hillman, C., Fontana, B. D., Amstislavskaya, T. G. et al. 2025. Housing and husbandry factors affecting zebrafish novel tank test responses: A global multi-laboratory study. Lab Animal 54(6), 156–164.

Insights from the judgement bias paradigm: Social group and tank size do not affect mental state in female guppies

Optimal holding conditions are key to animal welfare. How stressful husbandry is perceived by the animal can be determined via an assessment of an animal’s mental state – where it is positioned on the continuum between optimistic and pessimistic states...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Epping, J., Kotrschal, A., Kotrschal, S. D. 2025. Insights from the judgement bias paradigm: Social group and tank size do not affect mental state in female guppies. Journal of Fish Biology 106(1), 12–19.

Assessing the motivation of laying hens to outdoor space access

The present study aimed at evaluating the motivation of laying hens to access outdoor space and their behavior under indoor and outdoor conditions. A total of 54 laying hens (White Leghorns) at 38 weeks of age were housed in two...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Mancinelli, A. C., Chiattelli, D., Menchetti, L. et al. 2025. Assessing the motivation of laying hens to outdoor space access. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106581.

Shelter use in horses: Time spent indoors and factors of variation – Results from a one-year longitudinal study

Stabling is a common lifestyle for horses, yet numerous studies show that it negatively impacts their welfare, leading to behavioural and health issues. In this study, we aimed to determine how much time horses choose to spend inside their stalls...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Lansade, L., Lemarchand, J., Ruet, A. 2025. Shelter use in horses: Time spent indoors and factors of variation – Results from a one-year longitudinal study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 290, 106699.

Behavior and safety in the use of canopy bridges by howler monkeys in an experimental environment

Urban sprawl advances over forested areas and threatens arboreal species, which often use roads, power lines, and rooftops to move, resulting in roadkill, electrocution, and dog attacks. One measure to mitigate these risks is the installation of canopy bridges, which...

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

Citation: Dias, P., Teixeira, F. Z., Ferrugem, V. H. C. et al. 2025. Behavior and safety in the use of canopy bridges by howler monkeys in an experimental environment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 290, 106696.

Hide-and-seek: Examining hide preferences and behavior patterns of reptiles through 24-hour monitoring (2025)

Providing animals in zoos with private, out-of-view areas is a basic need for many species but has been rarely studied systematically. Recent research on reptiles has highlighted the welfare benefits of complex environments but, as these studies typically include private...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile, Snake

Citation: Wierzal, N., Seiler, S., Boehm, D. et al. 2025. Hide-and-seek: Examining hide preferences and behavior patterns of reptiles through 24-hour monitoring. Animal Behavior and Cognition 12(2), 243–257.

Effects of free-range systems on muscle fiber characteristics and welfare indicators in geese (2025)

Recently, free-range poultry production has increased with notable benefits for animal welfare and meat quality traits. Geese, the third-most productive poultry species, have not been studied extensively. This study investigated the effects of different free-range systems on muscle fiber characteristics...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Wang, G., Chen, J., Guo, Y. et al. 2025. Effects of free-range systems on muscle fiber characteristics and welfare indicators in geese. Animals 15(3), 304.

A cross-sectional study to investigate associations between flooring substrates and prevalence of limb and paw abnormalities of dogs housed in commercial breeding facilities (2025)

Understanding the impact of environmental and management factors on the health and behavior of dogs housed in commercial breeding (CB) facilities is critical to their welfare. The specific aims of the study were to assess (a) associations between combinations of...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Stella, J., Gomes, P., Shreyer, T. et al. 2025. A cross-sectional study to investigate associations between flooring substrates and prevalence of limb and paw abnormalities of dogs housed in commercial breeding facilities. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Assessment of minimum stable areas for young ostriches according to animal welfare legislation (2025)

Regarding the ongoing global development of commercial ostrich husbandry, it is necessary to establish science-based recommendations for the appropriate treatment and welfare of ostriches. In this study, we determined the minimum housing area required for ostriches aged between 6 and...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Rückschloss, S., Schüttpelz, R. N., Korbel, R. 2025. Assessment of minimum stable areas for young ostriches according to animal welfare legislation. Animals 15(4), 582.