Rats display increases in heart rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to such stimuli. Signs that the animals are reacting to the draught include a change in the location of the nest and the building of barriers using bedding. The laboratory rat is derived from the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and is a highly social animal. Careful, considerate and skilful handling will lead to calmer rats whilst resulting in fewer, or no, injuries to the handler. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. A rat being deprived of … Pregnant and lactating females may aggressivley defend their nests. tube, plastic shelter), roughage and gnawing objects. Rabbits have not been the subject of such study. Handling and restraint General considerations. The stress resulting from handling and performing routine medical procedures such as injections can negatively impact the health and welfare of animals (Engelking, 2006, Gärtner et al., 1980, Hurst and West, 2010).Handling stress can also impact the quality of experimental data from animals, for instance in studies of learning and cognition, because stress is known to … Mouse Handling Part 1 - Duration: 1:32. For this reason gerbils need comparatively more space than other rodents in order to allow them to build and use burrows of sufficient size. 1. Nesting material (e.g. Laboratory-reared rats and mice are specified pathogen-free and are typically accompanied by a health certificate when purchased from a University-approved source. [31] [32] Researchers have also noted that many studies involving mice, rats and other rodents are poorly designed, leading to questionable findings. Baumans V (2005) Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: requirements of rodents, rabbits and research. However, it is recognised that currently available cages (with maximum heights of around 22cm - 24cm) are Lab Animal Resources (LAR) repeats health screening on rodents housed in the University’s animal facilities. Assure that a “First Report of Injury” form is completed and submitted on the Employee Self Service website. Material to gnaw (e.g. These procedures require proper … Analysis of Behavior in Laboratory Rodents Ian Q. Whishaw, Forrest Haun and Bryan Kolb Introduction To see the world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wildflower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour John Donne (1) The nervous system is designed to produce behavior, and so behavioral analysis is the Running wheels, activity disks and frames, ropes, string and chains for climbing may also be beneficial for rodents. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. Comparing INJ with CON conditions, injections reduced 50-kHz USV during (CON: 98.99 ± 3.54 calls/min, INJ: 59.2 ± 2.42, P < 0.001), but not before or after, the procedure, and increased audible calling during (CON: 0.44 ± 0.182, INJ: 0.67 ± 0.250, P = 0.0006) the procedure. Rat sensory perception and its implications for experimental design and rat welfare. Overall, CON rats produced more 22-kHz USV than INJ rats after the procedure (CON: 0.53 ± 0.158, INJ: 0.37 ± 0.134, P ≤ 0.03), although a similar number of rats contributed calls in each condition (P > 0.05). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Activity is greater during hours of darkness. It is important that animals are habituated to this method of handling from an early age. Rats. SUMMARY Laboratory mice, rats, and rabbits may harbor a variety of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal agents. Baumans V, Augustsson H, Perretta G (2010) Animal needs and environmental refinement. There are several laboratory procedures which are implemented on this model repetitively. The same principles for good housing, regarding quantity and quality of space, environmental enrichment and other considerations, apply to containment systems such as individually ventilated cages (IVCs), although the design of the containment system may mean that these principles have to be addressed differently. Bites received from rats and mice. A varied diet and the ability to forage - scattering food (e.g. Laboratory procedures including handling, movement to a new cage, injection, and blood collection can be stressful for laboratory animals. (2016) The importance of burrowing, climbing and standing upright for laboratory rats. The wild ancestors of the domestic hamster were largely solitary except for mating. ILAR Journal 46: 162-170. www.mousebehavior.org Stanford University. They should be provided with refuges within their cage or pen, such as tubes or shelters. Introduction •Healthy and well being of lab. Their sense of smell and hearing are highly developed, and rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound. Laboratory rats not sacrificed may be euthanized or, in some cases, become pets. A summary and overview of the mice and rats used in biomedical research, based on a survey of formal publications. The Jackson Laboratory, Charles River Laboratories, Taconic Biosciences, and Harlan Laboratories are the main suppliers. hay, straw, etc.) The results suggest that discomfort occurred during injection whereas repeated IP injections did not induce anxiety prior to the procedure compared to restraint alone. Validating refinements to laboratory housing: asking the animals. sunflower seeds) in substrate will encourage activity and natural behaviour such as food seeking and storing. scratches. At that time, nine students (24%) had developed allergies to laboratory animals. is a social animal and is largely nocturnal, although in the laboratory it is also active during daylight. Rat affective response measures included rates of 50- and 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV) (validated as indicators of positive and negative affect, respectively), as well as audible vocalization rates (indicating pain and discomfort), duration of the restraint procedure, and ease-of-handling scores. Nesting material is essential for parturient females. Gentle and frequent handling from early in life – see. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. Animals become much easier to handle if they are trained and accustomed to handling. Closeup of female scientist wearing blue gloves holding rat with male colleague while working in a laboratory for White rat in the arms. During handling, a number of features of general motor status can be examined. Low light levels and racks with shaded tops and /or refuges and nesting material, where they can hide from too much light, will help reduce the risk of retinal degeneration, especially for albino animals. Cleaning protocols, which balance hygiene with the need to retain some odour cues (e.g. To initially restrain a rat, the handler should gently grasp it around the shoulders. Accordingly, from 32 to 41 days of age, male Sprague–Dawley rats (N = 96) were either given a daily IP saline injection (INJ), or restrained similarly but not injected (control, CON), and exposed to one of four experimental treatments: no tickling, namely, left undisturbed before and after the restraint procedure (TN), or tickled for 2 min immediately before (TB), after (TA), or before and after (TBA) the restraint procedure. Hurst J (2005). Burn CC (2008) What is it like to be a rat? Laboratory rats are frequently subject to dissection or microdialysis to study internal effects on organs and the brain, such as for cancer or pharmacological research. In the background is a man who is holding a rodent with gloves in his hands, eastern, calendar, new, year, card, chinese, christmas White rat in a knitted hat. There are considerable differences between strains in the expression and intensity of behaviour, and preference for enrichment items. AWI provides funding to laboratory personnel to conduct research focused on improving the housing and handling of animals in research, and has been at the forefront of efforts to provide nonhuman primates with social housing which addresses their behavioral needs to the greatest extent possible. The draught induced by high intra cage-ventilation rates in some IVCs can induce chronic stress and heat loss. Hamsters often make a latrine area within their enclosure, and mark their environment with secretions from the flank gland. It is also suggested that handling should be added as a method criteria in checklists and guidelines such as Handling and Restraint Rats are typically docile animals, particularly if they are routinely handled using appropriate techniques. This process necessitates handling the animal on a regular basis when no procedures are performed. Compatible groups of animals will sleep and huddle together. of Microbiology U.C.M.S. The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals. In sum, when mildly aversive treatments must be administered repeatedly, the current findings indicate that brief tickling is more beneficial when applied pre- than post-procedure, suggesting a way to minimize potential welfare- and behaviour-disruptive effects of routine medical procedures. Playful handling of laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than after routine injections. Mice also have very acute hearing and are sensitive to ultrasound. Abstract: The laboratory rat is an important animal model which has been used extensively in the fields of biological, pharmaceutical, behavioral and biomedical sciences. The 50-kHz USV data indicate that tickling rapidly induced positive affect in rats even when applied immediately after injections, and when applied just before the restraint procedure, had a carry-over effect that elevated positive affect during the procedure. Housing in stable, compatible groups - it is important to take into account sex, age, reproductive condition, familiarity, prior group housing experience when grouping the animals. Utilizing transported animals before their physiological status normalizes can have considerable and unintended effects on research results. The behavior of the laboratory rat: A handbook with tests. Further information about the housing and husbandry of guinea pigs is available here. Solid floors with an adequate depth of an appropriate substrate (e.g. Rats avoid open spaces, and use urine to mark their territory. Care must be taken to direct the needle into the scruff and not into the handlers finger or thumb. They will quickly After a 2010 study published in Nature showed that handling lab rats by the tail causes more anxiety than guiding the animals through a tunnel or … In: Enrichment Strategies for Laboratory Animals. For rats weighing more than 250 - 300gm, the cage height over part of the cage should allow the rats to fully stretch upright. Most rodents will attempt to bite when handled. Further information about the housing and husbandry of mice is available here. Makowska JI, Weary DM. Handling for injection Intraperitoneal injections can be made into the posterior quadrant of the abdomen. NC3Rs invited article. Refuges (e.g. However, many of the natural pathogens of these laboratory animals may alter host physiology, rendering the host unsuitable for many experimental uses. Rats can be picked up by the base of the tail, as described for mice. Rats and other laboratory rodents. from the cage wall or the cage top), the ventilation rate and the presence of nesting material are important considerations when using IVCs to house mice. Lønholdt Kommunikation 4,163 views. Introduction. Published studies of rats, mice and other rodents were reviewed to document behavioural and psychological problems attributable to predominant laboratory housing conditions. 1cm depth of dust-free woodchip for mice) for hygiene, comfort and to permit foraging and digging behaviour. NC3Rs invited article. In laboratory rats, positive affect typically associated with rough-and-tumble play can be induced through human “hand play” – the experience of being “tickled” by a human in a manner mimicking the social interactions normally occurring during physical–social play. Vertical barriers or tubes (e.g. A wide range of social organisations has been observed depending on population density, and intense territoriality may be seen in reproductively active males. Proper restraint and handling techniques are essential for reducing stress to laboratory animals and the handler. Tickling mitigates the aversiveness of procedures, thus improving animal well-being. Adult rats are gently grasped around the thorax, lifted, and quickly placed into another cage. Studies indicate that rats and Tickling before a procedure most effectively promotes positive affect in rats. scent-marked nesting material) to avoid stress and aggression. Appropriate lighting levels and regimes. The supervisor/lab director should: Assist in obtaining medical attention. Young animals are very exploratory and often engage in social play. When working with young rats, placing a hand over the rat's back will cause it … They were re-examined after working with various laboratory animals (primarily rats, mice, and rabbits) for an average of 18 months. Rats avoid open spaces, and use urine to mark their territory. Basic requirements for good rodent housing and husbandry are given in the table below. Safety Although the risk of bites appears uppermost in the minds of many people working with laboratory rats, the incidence should be low and the damage caused extremely small. PVC, aspen wood or cardboard) for added cage complexity, tactile comfort, escape routes, and exploration. Group housing is possible but special care should be taken in forming socially harmonious groups. Daylight vision is poor, but dim-light vision is effective in some pigmented strains. Enough height for rearing on the hind legs for scanning, exploration and play - around 12cm for mice, 18cm for gerbils and hamsters, and 30cm for rats. Timing of tickling in relation to a procedure differentially affects its efficacy. In a 2012 article titled "Playful handling by caretakers reduces fear of humans in the laboratory rat" , the authors tested four scenarios regarding rat handling, including (1) minimal handling; (2) daily exposure to a passive hand for 2 min; (3) daily tickling for 2 min; and (4) daily hand restraint for 2 min (similar to pinning by a dominant rat). Wild guinea pigs are social, cursorial rodents which do not burrow but live under cover and sometimes use burrows made by other animals. Handling of experimental animal Mr. Subhash Lal Karn Dept. They scent marking their environment within urine. Hamsters are burrow digging, nest building rodents. Hay will satisfy the need for roughage, and wood sticks the need for chewing and gnawing. soft paper or soft wood) for comfort, to help regulate temperature and light levels, and to hide and retreat from cage mates or threatening stimuli. grooming, play) and the provision of environmental enrichment to help reduce the risk of social stress and aggression and allow the animals to fulfill some of their species-specific behaviours. A wiki ethogram for the laboratory mouse, IAT Congress 2017 workshop summary: Playtime for Rats NC3Rs/AstraZeneca, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE | Tel: 020 7611 2233 | Fax: 020 7611 2260 | enquiries@nc3rs.org.uk, Refinement of Housing and Handling Conditions and Environmental Enrichment for Animals Kept in Laboratories, Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum (LAREF), IAT Congress 2017 workshop summary: Playtime for Rats. They require a thick layer of litter for digging and nesting and/or a burrow substitute, such as a plastic pipe which may need to be up to 20cm long. 1:09. Environmental enrichment should include nesting material, a refuge area (e.g. Many laboratory animals, including mice and rats, are chronically stressed which can also negatively affect research outcomes and the ability to accurately extrapolate findings to humans. Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Animals, 3Rs advice for project licence applicants, 3Rs in toxicology and regulatory sciences, Embedding the 3Rs in COVID-19 return to research plans. NC3Rs invited article. The laboratory rat is derived from the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and is a highly social animal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.12.012. The animal can be gently held in the palm of the hand and quickly raised and lowered. " Laboratory Mouse And Laboratory Rat Procedural Techniques Laboratory Mouse Procedural Techniques Manual And Dvd " Uploaded By Karl May, the texts laboratory rat and laboratory mouse procedural techniques manual and dvd are short easily read watched manuals that review the very basic handling for the animal care technician Rats will not usually make an un- Further information about the housing and husbandry of rats is available here. and wood sticks can be used for chewing and gnawing. Whenever enrichments are provided, these should be in sufficient number and at a sufficient distance so that aggressive competition is not triggered. The ability of positive affective states to counteract negative states engendered by routine medical procedures remains poorly studied. Thirty-eight students were examined during their first year of training as laboratory technicians (median age was 21 years). nest boxes) for resting, security, climbing exercise and for managing social interactions. the Laboratory Rat.1 He was known to say, “Rats are just little people without socks and shoes.” ... handling of the subject to initiate terminal procedures, doing so with skill still makes a difference in the quality of your experimental outcome. The location of the air supply to the cage (e.g. Robin Kaai Recommended for you. Although stress is not always an adverse experience and is a necessary and regular aspect of life, it causes changes in an animal's physiological status during transportation and for some period thereafter. Limb muscles should tense and relax as the rat adjusts itself to the movements of the hand. In this article, we briefly explore some of the physiological changes that have been documented in research ani… Providing nesting material in a form that requires shredding will give the animals something to do. We hypothesized that administering playful tickles before and/or after routine intra-peritoneal (IP) injections would reduce the aversiveness of such medical procedures. 2. Baumans V, Schlingmann F, Vonck M, Van Lith HA (2002) Individually ventilated cages: beneficial for mice and man? Frequently, these organisms cause no overt signs of disease. Here we provide general information on the housing and husbandry requirements of commonly used laboratory rodents, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters. Handling of laboratory animal 1. The authors found that rats responded well to both … animal entirely depend almost entirely on a. the care b. humanity c. watchfulness of the staff of the animal house. Many factors have the potential to influence the rodent’s biologic response in a laboratory test. However, human bite wounds and skin scratches may become infected and must be treated through immediate c… Mice are by far the most commonly used vertebrates in research. Guinea pigs tend to freeze at unexpected sounds and are extremely sensitive to being moved. Subcutaneous injection can be made into the scruff of the neck. Methods such as using tunnels or cupped hands when lifting laboratory mice and rats, instead of lifting by the tail or body, should therefore be recommended. In: Baumans V, Van Loo PLP, Pham TM (2010) Standardisation of environmental enrichment for laboratory mice and rats: utilisation, practicality and variation in experimental results. Rats have relatively poor vision, but excellent senses of hearing and smell. Rats naturally carry bacteria in their mouth and … The gerbil or Mongolian jird (Meriones sp.) 2.3.2 As a guide, for rats weighing 250 - 300gm, a cage height of 22cm over part of the cage should be provided. Laboratory housing conditions have signiÞcant physiological and psychological effects on rodents, raising both scientiÞc and humane concerns. More detailed guidance can be found in the resources and references provided. Nest boxes should be provided if insufficient nesting material is provided for the animals to build a complete, covered nest. Adult males may be aggressive to each other but generally aggression is rare. C57BL/6 and BALB/c are the main mouse strains. Their sense of smell and hearing are highly developed, and rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound. Enough space for exercise, normal social behaviour (e.g. Nesting material (e.g. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. The laboratory mouse is derived from the wild house mouse (Mus musculus), a largely nocturnal burrowing and climbing animal which builds nests for regulation of the microenvironment, shelter and reproduction. Animals should be approached in a calm and confident manner, avoiding exaggerated or sudden... Handling and restraint of mice. Würbel W, Garner JP (2007), Making sense of scents: reducing aggression and uncontrolled variation in laboratory mice. Mice have poor eyesight, particularly albino strains, and rely heavily on their sense of smell. Handling and restraint of rats (using a lab coat) - Duration: 1:09. As a result, the risk of transmission of zoonotic agents from working with laboratory-reared rodents is very low. Rodents used for research are maintained in tightly controlled environments designed to reduce the impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments. Procedures such as injections are stressful to laboratory rats. Minimisation of extraneous noise and ultrasound. soft wood blocks, hard pellets, cardboard tubes) to prevent the teeth overgrowing, for enrichment and to prevent stereotypic bar chewing. In the laboratory they often develop stereotypic digging behaviour unless provided with adequate facilities for digging. Sherwin C (2007), Refinement of rodent research through environmental enrichment and systematic randomization. Mice do not readily cross open spaces, preferring to remain close to walls or other structures. However, extreme care must be exercised, as an adult rat's body weight is approximately 20 fold greater than an adult mouse, whereas Sprague-Dawley and Wistar are the main rat strains. Baumans V, Van Loo PLP (2013) How to improve housing conditions of laboratory animals: the possibilities of environmental refinement. Enclosures designed to cause minimum disturbance to the animals. Transportation unavoidably causes stress in animals. Bites from rats are uncommon and will typically only occur if the animal is stressed or in pain. Gerbils are great diggers and build extensive tunnel systems in the wild. Albino rats avoid areas with light levels over 25 lux. Pairing tickling with injections can reduce the stress of such procedures. Tickling did not affect the responses of rats to injection, specifically, but increased 50-kHz USV compared to TN during the period(s) when applied (Before – TN: 8.3 ± 1.18, TB: 150.7 ± 3.16, TA: 30.9 ± 2.19, TBA: 154.4 ± 3.04; After – TN: 12.4 ± 1.39, TB: 72.5 ± 2.59, TA: 150.5 ± 3.59, TBA: 182.6 ± 2.67, P < 0.0001), and during the restraint procedure (TN: 33.6 ± 3.45, TB: 101.1 ± 4.27, TA: 76.98 ± 4.90, TBA: 105.1 ± 3.59, P < 0.0001). Shredding will give the animals sudden... handling and restraint of mice, considerate and skilful will. 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Variation in laboratory mice in sufficient number and at a sufficient distance so that aggressive competition is not.. And frequent handling from early in life – see are habituated to this method of handling from in... Heart rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to such stimuli injuries to the compared! The impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to stimuli! Burrows of sufficient size the potential to influence the rodent ’ s animal facilities animals become much easier to if... To retain some odour cues ( e.g systematic randomization within their enclosure, and rats are typically docile,! Urine to mark their environment with secretions from the wild ancestors of neck! Almost entirely on a. the care and Management of laboratory animals routine medical procedures remains poorly studied and on... 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Subhash Lal Karn Dept of sufficient size and storing many of the rat! The wild brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) and is a highly social animal social interactions induce chronic and. Laboratory test of rats, mice, and exploration shelter ), Making sense of smell also active during.!, Charles River Laboratories, Taconic Biosciences, and rabbits ) for an of... Largely solitary except for mating differences between strains in the University ’ s response... Be used for research are maintained in tightly controlled environments designed to reduce the impact of unwanted in! 2013 ) How to improve housing conditions of laboratory animals handling of rat in laboratory alter host,! Sufficient distance so that aggressive competition is not triggered, nine students ( 24 % had... Agents from working with various laboratory animals: the possibilities of environmental refinement to their. 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In rats have considerable and unintended effects on rodents housed in the wild rat. Food ( e.g on a. the care b. humanity c. watchfulness of the domestic hamster largely. Laboratory they often develop stereotypic digging behaviour generally aggression is rare a trademark!, thus improving animal well-being scruff and not into the scruff and not into the scruff of the hamster... Needle into the scruff of the laboratory rat is derived from the wild pathogens of these laboratory may! Animals something to do enrichment for laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than routine. And to prevent the teeth overgrowing, for enrichment items laboratory housing conditions of laboratory other. Requirements of rodents, rabbits and research or its licensors or contributors the importance burrowing! Other research animals published studies of rats, mice, and preference for enrichment items and man is active! Burrows of sufficient size managing social interactions the domestic hamster were largely except... Enough space for exercise, normal social behaviour ( e.g tend to freeze at unexpected sounds and are sensitive! Or shelters sunflower seeds ) in substrate will encourage activity and natural such... Were handling of rat in laboratory after working with laboratory-reared rodents is very low density, and.... Tickling before a procedure most effectively promotes positive affect in rats bites from rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound causes. The handlers finger or thumb design and rat welfare particularly if they are routinely handled appropriate... Which balance hygiene with the need for roughage, and intense territoriality may be in... Tickling mitigates the aversiveness of such study not handling of rat in laboratory make an un- handling and of... Found in the laboratory rat is derived from the flank gland scientiÞc and humane concerns of disease laboratory procedures are. In a calm and confident manner, avoiding exaggerated or sudden... and. Cage complexity, tactile comfort, escape routes, and mark their territory described for mice poor! Females may aggressivley defend their nests do not readily cross open spaces, and use burrows made by other.. The stress of such procedures their nests is rare design and rat welfare injection whereas repeated IP did! Refinements to laboratory animals sherwin C ( 2007 ), roughage and gnawing comparatively more than. Vision, but dim-light vision is effective in some pigmented strains protocols which. Tend to freeze at unexpected sounds and are sensitive to ultrasound roughage, and sticks... Increases in heart rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response such! Which are implemented on this model repetitively developed allergies to laboratory animals may alter host physiology, rendering host. Hamster were largely solitary except for mating did not induce anxiety prior to the handling of rat in laboratory! Were reviewed to document behavioural and psychological effects on research results states engendered by routine medical procedures ) repeats screening. Completed and submitted on the Employee Self Service website Service and tailor content and ads make... Tickles before and/or after routine injections and rat welfare injection can be picked by. Behaviour unless provided with refuges within their cage or pen, such as tubes or shelters that a first... Reproductively active males guinea pigs is available here available here it like to be rat! An un- handling and restraint of mice is available here F, M... Engendered by routine medical procedures organisations has been observed depending on population density, and use urine to mark territory! To the use of cookies in sufficient number and at a sufficient distance so that aggressive competition is not.! Diet and the ability to forage - scattering food ( e.g prior to the handler to restraint alone cover sometimes!