Natural Behavior

Interspecies pair housing of macaques in a research facility

The eighth edition of The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals establishes social housing as the "default" for social species including non-human primates. The advantages of social housing for primates have been well established, but small research...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Natural Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: DiVincenti, L., Rehrig, A., Wyatt, J. 2012. Interspecies pair housing of macaques in a research facility. Laboratory Animals 46(2), 1170-1172.

Biology, behavior, and environmental enrichment for the captive African clawed frog (Xenopus spp)

Xenopus are a hardy, long-lived, aquatic amphibian species which readily adapt to a captive environment. This characteristic makes Xenopus ideal for the laboratory, where they are used extensively in basic and biomedical research. Though husbandry practices for Xenopus have not...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: Chum, H., Felt, S., Garner, J. et al. 2013. Biology, behavior, and environmental enrichment for the captive African clawed frog (Xenopus spp). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 143(2-4), 150-156.

Environmental enrichment and cognitive complexity in reptiles and amphibians: Concepts, review, and implications for captive populations

Reptiles and amphibians have been neglected in research on cognition, emotions, sociality, need for enriched and stimulating environments, and other topics that have been greatly emphasized in work on mammals and birds. This is also evident in the historic lack...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Amphibian, Crocodile & Alligator, Frog & Toad, Lizard, Reptile, Salamander, Snake, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Burghardt, G. M. 2013. Environmental enrichment and cognitive complexity in reptiles and amphibians: Concepts, review, and implications for captive populations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 147(3-4), 286-298.

Enrichment object preferences in laboratory rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

To promote the psychological well-being of captive non-human primates, facilities develop and implement an environmental enhancement plan (Animal Welfare Act, Section 3.81). Enrichment options described in the plan should be selected to demonstrably promote species-typical behaviors. Too often, enrichment choices...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Carey, M. C., West, A. M., Diaz, B. et al. 2013. Enrichment object preferences in laboratory rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 75(S1), 81. (36th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #162)

Social knowledge and signal in primates

Primates are notable for having a rich and detailed understanding of their social environment and there has been great interest in the evolution and function of social knowledge in primates. Indeed, primates have been shown to have impressive understandings of...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Natural Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Bergman, T. J., Sheehan, M. J. 2013. Social knowledge and signal in primates. American Journal of Primatology 75(7), 683-694.

Pro-social behavior in rats is modulated by social experience

In mammals, helping is preferentially provided to members of one's own group. Yet, it remains unclear how social experience shapes pro-social motivation. We found that rats helped trapped strangers by releasing them from a restrainer, just as they did cagemates....

Year Published: 2014Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Bartal, I. B.-A., Rodgers, D. A., Sarria, M. S. et al. 2014. Pro-social behavior in rats is modulated by social experience. eLife 3, e01385.

Behavioral management approach to facilitate use of pen-housed nonhuman primates for toxicology studies

Housing laboratory primates in large pens can improve welfare by providing ample opportunity to express normal social and locomotor behaviors. This type of housing, however, can present great challenges in terms of manipulating animals for study procedures. The use of...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Animal Training, Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Strittmatter, R. R., Ferraro, A., Tiano, D. 2014. Behavioral management approach to facilitate use of pen-housed nonhuman primates for toxicology studies. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 539 (Abstract #PS53).

Nest building and posture changes and activity budgets of gilts housed in pens and crates

The aim of the present work was to study nest building, posture changes and the overall activity budget of gilts in pens vs. crates. Twenty-three HB gilts (high piglet survival day 5) and 21 LB gilts (low piglet survival day...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Andersen, I. L., Vasdal, G., Pedersen, L. J. 2014. Nest building and posture changes and activity budgets of gilts housed in pens and crates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 159, 29-33.

The effects of environmental enrichment and age-related differences on inhibitory avoidance in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The inhibitory avoidance paradigm allows the study of mechanisms underlying learning and memory formation in zebrafish (Danio rerio Hamilton). For zebrafish, the physiology and behavior associated with this paradigm are as yet poorly understood. We therefore assessed the effects of...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Manuel, R., Gorissen, M., Stokkermans, M. et al. 2015. The effects of environmental enrichment and age-related differences on inhibitory avoidance in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish 12(2), 152-165.

Are 50-kHz calls used as play signals in the playful interaction of rats? I

During playful interactions, rats emit increased levels of 50-kHz vocalizations. It is possible that these vocalizations are used as play signals that promote and maintain playful contact. The study investigated this possibility. It was predicted that if these vocalizations are...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Natural Behavior, VocalizationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Himmler, B.T., Kisko, T.M., Euston, D.R. et al. 2014. Are 50-kHz calls used as play signals in the playful interaction of rats? I. Evidence from the timing and context of their use. Behavioural Processes 106, 60-66.