Housing

The voice of choice: A scoping review of choice-based animal welfare studies

“Choice and control” is a phrase used widely in animal welfare science to describe providing captive animals with the ability to select between possible outcomes (stimuli or events). This concept has gained traction as a pivotal management technique across a...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Rust, K., Clegg, I., Fernandez, E. J. 2024. The voice of choice: A scoping review of choice-based animal welfare studies. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 275, 106270.

Exploring pet rat care: A comprehensive survey of husbandry, health, behavior, and the associations between caretaker attitudes, attachment, and husbandry practices

Pet rats are still understudied in terms of animal welfare and human-animal interaction research. An extensive online survey targeting German-speaking rat caretakers was conducted (n = 978). One of the study's goals was to investigate husbandry practices, health indicators, rat...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Rat

Citation: Schneidewind, S., Lesch, R., Heizmann, V. et al. 2024. Exploring pet rat care: A comprehensive survey of husbandry, health, behavior, and the associations between caretaker attitudes, attachment, and husbandry practices. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 75, 1–19.

An enclosure quality ranking framework for terrestrial animals in captivity

There is a burgeoning interest in measuring and improving animal welfare in captive settings. Recent work has emphasized how enclosure design elements directly impact animal welfare (e.g., from health, behavioral, and reproductive standpoints). Yet, there is no published systematic way...

Year Published: 2024Topics: HousingAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Flanagan, A. M., Masuda, B., Grabar, K. et al. 2024. An enclosure quality ranking framework for terrestrial animals in captivity. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 278, 106378.

Individual behavior and housing setup interact to influence markers of welfare in the critically endangered Hawaiian crow

While some stress can be beneficial for survival, identifying drivers of detrimental stress is essential for improving animal welfare and reproductive outcomes in conservation breeding programs. We examined the interaction between housing and behavioral indicators of temperament, both of which...

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

Citation: Gosselin, R. P., Flanagan, A. M., Mendl, M. et al. 2025. Individual behavior and housing setup interact to influence markers of welfare in the critically endangered Hawaiian crow. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 282, 106475.

Rattling the cage: Behaviour and resource use of mice in laboratory and pet cages

Conventional housing for laboratory mice limits the expression of species-specific behaviours and restricts the control over their environment, thus failing to guarantee the animals' welfare. To better understand the behaviour and resource use of laboratory mice, we housed mice (n...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gygax, M., Fortes, M. S., Voelkl, B. et al. 2024. Rattling the cage: Behaviour and resource use of mice in laboratory and pet cages. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 278, 106381.

A new laboratory research model: The Damaraland mole-rat and its managed care

The Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) is a subterranean, hypoxia-tolerant, long-lived rodent endemic to southern and central Africa that is increasingly being used in laboratory research. Its husbandry needs and characteristics differ from traditional rodent research models. Here, we provide a...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mole Rat, Rodent

Citation: Buffenstein, R., Smith, M., Amoroso, V. G. et al. 2024. A new laboratory research model: The Damaraland mole-rat and its managed care. JAALAS 63(6), 683–693.

Effect of adopting a timothy hay–based diet at weaning or in adulthood on urinary tract parameters in strain 13/N guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Type of feed is an important consideration in herbivore colony management, yet limited studies report on the effects of diet on common conditions such as urolithiasis in guinea pigs. Urolithiasis is a well-documented cause of lower urinary tract disease in...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Wier, R. C., Flietstra, T. D., Coleman-McCray, J. D. et al. 2024. Effect of adopting a timothy hay–based diet at weaning or in adulthood on urinary tract parameters in strain 13/N guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). JAALAS 63(4), 385–396.

Moving toward evidence-based care: Measuring preferences in zoo-housed aquatic turtles using 24-h remote monitoring

Providing evidence-based care to animals is a common goal in zoos and aquariums. However, there are many understudied species with a lack of information available, which may result in suboptimal care for individuals of these species. Using preference tests to...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: O'Brien, S. L., Koenig, S., Cronin, K. A. 2024. Moving toward evidence-based care: Measuring preferences in zoo-housed aquatic turtles using 24-h remote monitoring. Zoo Biology 43(5), 491–498.

Weight as an indicator of enclosure suitability in Livingstone’s fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii)

Obesity is common in zoo animals, and both dietary management and the provision of adequate opportunities for exercise are needed to tackle it. We used 30 years of records from Jersey Zoo to compare the weight and forearm length of...

Year Published: 2024Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Price, E. C., Roberts, A., Bennett, L. et al. 2024. Weight as an indicator of enclosure suitability in Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii). Zoo Biology 43(4), 295–305.

Effects of temporary access to environmental enrichment on measures of laboratory mouse welfare

Laboratory mice are typically housed in “shoebox” cages with limited opportunities to engage in natural behaviour. Temporary access to environments with increased space and complexity (playpens) may improve mouse welfare. Previous work by our group has shown that mice are...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ratuski, A. S., Améndola, L., Makowska, I. J. et al. 2024. Effects of temporary access to environmental enrichment on measures of laboratory mouse welfare. Scientific Reports 14(1), 15143.