Social Housing & Companionship

Rats demand social contact

Most of the rats in this experiment showed a persistent demand for social contact but not for physical cage improvements. These data suggest that social enrichment should be given the highest priority as a source of environmental enrichment for laboratory...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Patterson-Kane, E. G., Hunt, M., Harper, D. 2002. Rats demand social contact. Animal Welfare 11, 327-332.

Effectiveness of enrichment devices during brief periods of social restriction in singly housed baboons

Data were collected on the animals' (three singly caged adult males) daily biscuit intake and activity levels as well as log activity prior to, during, and following social restriction (housed in separate room in which no other animals are present),...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Baboon, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Hienz, R. D., Jones, A., Pyle, D. A. et al. 2002. Effectiveness of enrichment devices during brief periods of social restriction in singly housed baboons. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 41(3), 1-3.

Novel and economical structural enrichment for a unique colony of group-housed macaques: Success and failures

Social enrichment provided by group mates seems to overwhelm the effects of inanimate enrichment. With this thought in mind, rather than provide traditional puzzle or chewing devices, we designed structural enrichment. Different levels of perching and visual barriers were installed....

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Felts, W. P., Johns, T. J., Sauceda, R. 2002. Novel and economical structural enrichment for a unique colony of group-housed macaques: Success and failures. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 41(4), 120 (Abstract).

Effects of social manipulations and environmental enrichment on behavior and cell-mediated immune responses in rhesus macaques

In general, enrichment of the inanimate environment with toys, structures, foraging devices, and/or videotapes increased the amount of species-typical behavior expressed by the monkeys, but did not affect their immune responses. Housing monkeys socially, on the other hand, not only...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Schapiro, S. J. 2002. Effects of social manipulations and environmental enrichment on behavior and cell-mediated immune responses in rhesus macaques. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 73, 271-278.

The myth of the aggressive monkey

Captive rhesus macaques are not intrinsically aggressive, but poor husbandry and handling practices can trigger their aggression towards conspecifics and towards the human handler. The statement 'rhesus macaques are so aggressive animals' is probably based on the fact that basic...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Handling, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Reinhardt, V. 2002. The myth of the aggressive monkey. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 5(4), 321-330.

Vasectomies as part of an environmental enrichment plan for primates

Pair housing following vasectomy has also been implemented for adult male [rhesus] macaques that engaged in self-injurious behavior (SIB). The incidence of SIB was significantly decreased or eliminated following these interventions.

Year Published: 2002Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Weed, J. L., Byrum, R., Parrish, S. et al. 2002. Vasectomies as part of an environmental enrichment plan for primates. American Journal of Primatology 57, 41 (Abstract).

A successful program for same- and cross-age pair-housing adult and subadult male Macaca fascicularis

Isosexual pairs of adult males, adult male/juvenile male and adult females were established and pair compatibility ascertained throughout follow-up periods of 1 month to 3 years. Partners were introduced after a carefully supervised noncontact familiarization period in a specific pair...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Watson, L. M. 2002. A successful program for same- and cross-age pair-housing adult and subadult male Macaca fascicularis. Laboratory Primate Newsletter 41(2), 6-9.

Isosexual social group formation for environmental enrichment in adult male Macaca mulatta

Isosexual groups [averag group size: 4.2 animals] of 80, previously single-caged 4-10 years old male rhesus macaques were formed [group formation protocol is not outlined]. Thirty-one [38.8%] of these animals had at least one prior incidence of SIB [self-injurious biting]....

Year Published: 2003Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Alexander, S. N., Fontenot, M. B. 2003. Isosexual social group formation for environmental enrichment in adult male Macaca mulatta. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 141 (Abstract).

Fenceline contact of beef calves with their dams at weaning reduces the negative effects of separation on behavior andgrowth rate

It was concluded that providing fenceline contact between beef calves and cows for 7 d following weaning reduces behavioral indices of distress seen in the totally separated calves. In addition, fenceline contact with dams at weaning minimizes losses in weight...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Price, E. O., Harris, J. E., Borgwardt, R. E. et al. 2003. Fenceline contact of beef calves with their dams at weaning reduces the negative effects of separation on behavior andgrowth rate. Journal of Animal Science 81, 116-121.

Male management: coping with aggression problems in male laboratory mice

We review results from the literature and our own research with regard to coping with excessive aggressive behaviour in male laboratory mice. Based on this review practical recommendations concerning the housing and care of male laboratory mice are formulated. In...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Van Zutphen, L. F. M., Baumans, V. 2003. Male management: coping with aggression problems in male laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals 37( ), 300-313.