Natural Behavior

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.

Responses by wild house mice (Mus musculus) to various stimuli in a novel environment

House mice (Mus musculus) pose a threat to the native flora and fauna on islands, and can cause significant damage wherever they have been introduced. Methods used to eradicate invasive rodents, like house mice, at high population densities may not...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Witme, G. W., Snow, N. P., Moulton, R. S. 2014. Responses by wild house mice (Mus musculus) to various stimuli in a novel environment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 159, 99-106.

The relationship of dominance, reproductive state and stress in female horses (Equus caballus)

Maintaining a dominant position in a hierarchy requires energetically expensive aggressive displays and physical exertion. Lab based winner–loser studies, often conducted with individuals from non-social species, have shown that subordinates have higher stress hormone levels than dominant individuals. However, in...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: York, C. A., Schulte, B. A. 2014. The relationship of dominance, reproductive state and stress in female horses (Equus caballus). Behavioral Processes 107, 15-21.

Is the left forelimb preference indicative of a stressful situation in horses?

Evidence for behavioural and brain lateralisation is now widespread among the animal kingdom; lateralisation of limb use (pawedness) occurs in several mammals including both feral and domestic horses. We investigated limb preferences in 14 Quarter Horse during different motor tasks...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Siniscalchi, M., Padalino, B., Lusito, R. et al. 2014. Is the left forelimb preference indicative of a stressful situation in horses? Behavioral Processes 107, 61-67.

Are 50-kHz calls used as play signals in the playful interactions of rats? II

During playful interactions, juvenile rats emit many 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations, which are associated with a positive affective state. In addition, these calls may also serve a communicative role – as play signals that promote playful contact. Consistent with this hypothesis,...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Natural Behavior, VocalizationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kisko, T. M., Himmler, B. T., Himmler, S. M. et al. 2015. Are 50-kHz calls used as play signals in the playful interactions of rats? II. Evidence from the effects of devocalization. Behavoural Processes 111, 25-33.

Are 50-khz calls used as play signals in the playful interactions of rats? III

When playing, rats emit 50-kHz calls which may function as play signals. A previous study using devocalized rats provides support for the hypothesis that 50-kHz function to promote and maintain playful interactions (Kisko et al., 2015). However, in that study,...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Natural Behavior, VocalizationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kisko, T. M., Euston, D. R., Pellis, S. M. 2015. Are 50-khz calls used as play signals in the playful interactions of rats? III. The effects of devocalization on play with unfamiliar partners as juveniles and as adults. Behavioural Processes 113, 113-121.