Husbandry & Management

Current recommendations for the use of red spectrum lighting in research animal facility planning and design

Light, an environmental factor much like noise, vibration, temperature, and humidity, has long been a concern to lighting engineers, biomedical researchers, and animal care personnel and requires great consideration in the design and planning of research animal facilities and laboratory...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Dauchy, R. T. 2026. Current recommendations for the use of red spectrum lighting in research animal facility planning and design. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 14(2) (March/April), 12-14.

Color preference of zebrafish (Danio rerio) differs in midday and midnight

This study aimed to examine whether zebrafish exhibit different color preferences during the day and night under controlled laboratory conditions. Twenty adult zebrafish (3 months old, 1:1 male/female ratio) were housed under a 14:10 h light/dark cycle and tested using a...

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

Citation: Shadman, A. F. 2025. Color preference of zebrafish (Danio rerio) differs in midday and midnight. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 293, 106860.

Complex substrates and bedding for environmental enhancement and research: Or, the nature of primates

Complex substrates, including bedding, have generally been known to encourage nonhuman primate species-typical behaviors and have myriad uses in research, yet are still frequently resisted, especially in laboratory environments. Data show or suggest that complex substrates have the potential to...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Baboon, Chimpanzee, Gibbon, Lemur, Macaque, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Sayers, K., Allen, J., Bellanca, R. U. et al. 2026. Complex substrates and bedding for environmental enhancement and research: Or, the nature of primates. American Journal of Primatology 88(4), e70149.

Effects of substrate provision and associated cleaning practices on welfare indicators in eastern long-nosed vipers (Vipera ammodytes meridionalis) during growth and development

There is a need to assess the impact of husbandry and exhibitry practices on under-studied taxa, including reptiles and amphibians, to ensure animals experience good welfare. It is common practice to house snakes in enclosures on paper substrate, particularly when...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Reptile, Snake

Citation: Powell, D. M., Augustine, L., Edes, A. N. et al. 2025. Effects of substrate provision and associated cleaning practices on welfare indicators in eastern long-nosed vipers (Vipera ammodytes meridionalis) during growth and development. Zoo Biology 44(6), 544–561.

Beyond comfort: A review of the critical role of bedding selection in rodent welfare, microenvironment, and research reproducibility

This review addresses the critical but often underappreciated influence of bedding selection on rodent welfare, cage microenvironment, occupational health, and research outcomes in biomedical studies. Although contact bedding is widely preferred by mice and rats and is the current industry...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: O’Connell, K. A., Celdran-Bonafonte, D. 2026. Beyond comfort: A review of the critical role of bedding selection in rodent welfare, microenvironment, and research reproducibility. JAALAS 65(2), 146–158.

Enhancing rodent welfare, cost savings, and efficiency: Implementation and review of data-driven improvements

At the University of Chicago, we have implemented multiple practical, data-driven 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) strategies to improve rodent welfare over the past 5 years. As there are limited publications that outline an institutional approach, this work reviews the enhancements...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Husbandry & Management, Relocation & Transport, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Luchins, K. R., Felgenhauer, J. L. 2026. Enhancing rodent welfare, cost savings, and efficiency: Implementation and review of data-driven improvements. JAALAS 65(2), 159–167.

Effects of cage change and nest transfer on artificial intelligence-measured behaviors in male C57BL/6 mice

Cage changes can be a stressful period in a mouse’s life due to the rapid change of environment. It is essential to study the behavioral effects of a cage change on mice, including drinking, eating, aggression, and sleep, as these...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Kizielewicz, N., Molk, D., Camacho, J. et al. 2026. Effects of cage change and nest transfer on artificial intelligence-measured behaviors in male C57BL/6 mice. JAALAS 65(2), 311–323.

Effects of feeding graded levels of gelatin content on growth, feed utilization and health status in head-started leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) have been successfully housed in captive conditions for over 1 year while receiving a gelatin-based artificial diet. However, the levels of gelatin in the feed formulations for this species were not optimized. Here, 2-month-old juvenile...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Kanghae, H., Boonthong, S., Foong, D. S. et al. 2025. Effects of feeding graded levels of gelatin content on growth, feed utilization and health status in head-started leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). Zoo Biology 44(6), 631–643.

Enhancing behavioral diversity and activity budgets in zoo-housed African lions (Panthera leo leo) through a modified feeding method

Research on positive animal welfare has prompted exploration and implementation of methods to stimulate the behavioral repertoires of zoo-housed species. We investigated the impact of a modified feeding method on the behavioral diversity, activity budgets, and social relations of five...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Jonkers, J., Elderman, M., Salas, M. 2026. Enhancing behavioral diversity and activity budgets in zoo-housed African lions (Panthera leo leo) through a modified feeding method. Zoo Biology 45(2), 138–153.

Blue light exposure mitigates vibration noise-induced anxiety by enhancing serotonin levels

Prolonged exposure to vibration and noisy environments has been shown to contribute to the development of anxiety disorders. Pharmacological interventions are typically not administered during the early stages, which may lead to the uncontrolled progression of anxiety symptoms. In this...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Huo, L., Miao, X., Ren, Y. et al. 2026. Blue light exposure mitigates vibration noise-induced anxiety by enhancing serotonin levels. Physiology & Behavior 304, 115187.