Factors Influencing the Duration of Grooming on a Pair of Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Advisor Information
Rosemary Strasser
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
7-3-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
7-3-2014 12:00 PM
Abstract
Exposure to stress and boredom in research animals can provoke various behaviors that may become harmful to themselves or cagemates. Baseline behaviors, primarily grooming, were observed in a research laboratory to determine what may be causing hair loss in a female common marmoset that led to some skin irritation on her thigh and tail. After treating the primates with a positive human interaction, stressful situation, and an enrichment treatment, results showed which manipulations changed behaviors in the marmoset pair-bond. The stressful situation was found to significantly increase autogrooming by the female marmoset. Both the enrichment and positive human interaction treatment decreased allogrooming behaviors by the male to the female. This finding may indicate the importance of novel stimuli in the enclosed environment to deter overgrooming. The study contributes to the growing research promoting positive psychological welfare of laboratory animals.
Factors Influencing the Duration of Grooming on a Pair of Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Exposure to stress and boredom in research animals can provoke various behaviors that may become harmful to themselves or cagemates. Baseline behaviors, primarily grooming, were observed in a research laboratory to determine what may be causing hair loss in a female common marmoset that led to some skin irritation on her thigh and tail. After treating the primates with a positive human interaction, stressful situation, and an enrichment treatment, results showed which manipulations changed behaviors in the marmoset pair-bond. The stressful situation was found to significantly increase autogrooming by the female marmoset. Both the enrichment and positive human interaction treatment decreased allogrooming behaviors by the male to the female. This finding may indicate the importance of novel stimuli in the enclosed environment to deter overgrooming. The study contributes to the growing research promoting positive psychological welfare of laboratory animals.