Social Housing & Companionship

Stress-like responses to common procedures in individually and group-housed female rats

Mean resting HR values in the mornings prior to human contact were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in rats housed four per cage than animals housed alone or with one cage mate, whereas MAP during this period was lowest in...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sharp, J. L., Zammit, T., Azar, T. A. et al. 2003. Stress-like responses to common procedures in individually and group-housed female rats. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(1), 9-18.

Are “”by-stander”” female Sprague-Dawley rats affected by experimental procedures? Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(1), 19-28

The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that female rats are stressed by being in the same room as animals subjected to common husbandry and experimental procedures and that the level of stress is affected by housing...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Drug/Substance Administration, Euthanasia, Handling, Husbandry & Management, Restraint, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sharp, J. L., Zammit, T., Azar, T. A. et al. 2003. Are "by-stander" female Sprague-Dawley rats affected by experimental procedures? Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(1), 19-28.

The effects of temperament on pairing success in female rhesus macaques

We examined whether temperament has any effect on pairing success in 12 adult female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that had one successful (co-housed for at least 3 months without any overt aggression) and one unsuccessful (never co-housed due to immediate...

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

Citation: McMillan, J., Maier, A., Tully, L. et al. 2003. The effects of temperament on pairing success in female rhesus macaques. American Journal of Primatology 60(Supplement), 95 (Abstract).

Social and environmental enrichment in a captive troop of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Sendall, C., Melin, A., Paterson, J. 2003. Social and environmental enrichment in a captive troop of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). American Journal of Primatology 60 , 33 (Abstract).

A behavioral comparison of New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed individually or in pairs in conventional laboratory cages

We compared the behavior of female New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed either individually (N=4) in cages measuring 61 cmx76 cmx41 cm or in non-littermate pairs (four pairs) in double-wide cages measuring 122 cmx76 cmx41 cm. .. Over the...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Chu, L., Garner, J. P., Mench, J. A. 2004. A behavioral comparison of New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed individually or in pairs in conventional laboratory cages. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 85, 121-139.

Behavioural and welfare benefits using environmental enrichment for social housed rats

Constructing their own nests not only allowed the rats to engage in a species-typical behavior, which presumably enhanced their feeling of security, but it also reduced the incident of aggressive interactions.

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Jegstrup, I. M., Ritskes-Hoitinga, M. 2004. Behavioural and welfare benefits using environmental enrichment for social housed rats. Proceedings of the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations [FELASA] Symposium, 38-42.

Stress response in mice to a stressful situation experienced by another cage mate

We have just finished a study of the effects on cage mates when balb/c mice are handled/weighed or subjected to 1 hour restraint stress and then returned to the cage. We did this once daily for 14 days. The cage...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Einstein, R. 2004. Stress response in mice to a stressful situation experienced by another cage mate. Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum (electronic discussion group), November 24, 2004.

Long-term effects of the periadolescent environment on exploratory activity and aggressive behaviour in mice: social versus physical enrichment

The aims of the present study were (i) to investigate the effects of environmental enrichment during periadolescence on different behavioural and neurochemical responses in male CD-1 mice at adulthood and (ii) to describe the relative role of the physical and...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Pietropaolo, S., Branchi, I., Cirulli, F. et al. 2004. Long-term effects of the periadolescent environment on exploratory activity and aggressive behaviour in mice: social versus physical enrichment. Physiology and Behavior 81, 443-453.

Preference for social contact versus environmental enrichment in male laboratory mice

Results indicated that when other conditions were similar, male mice preferred to sleep in close proximity to their familiar cage mate. Furthermore, the need to engage in active social behaviour increased with age. Tissues were used to a large extent...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Van de Weerd, H. A., Van Zutphen, L. F. M. et al. 2004. Preference for social contact versus environmental enrichment in male laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals 38, 178-188.

Conflict and friendship in immature Guinea baboons

Year Published: 2004Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Baboon, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Hermano-Silva, C., Lee, P. C. 2004. Conflict and friendship in immature Guinea baboons. Folia Primatologica 75(Supplement 1), 273. (Primate Meeting Abstract)