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. Rats avoid open spaces, and use urine to mark their territory. Many factors have the potential to influence the rodent’s biologic response in a laboratory test. The draught induced by high intra cage-ventilation rates in some IVCs can induce chronic stress and heat loss. Basic requirements for good rodent housing and husbandry are given in the table below. Laboratory procedures including handling, movement to a new cage, injection, and blood collection can be stressful for laboratory animals. 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. Enclosures designed to cause minimum disturbance to the animals. Pregnant and lactating females may aggressivley defend their nests. In: Enrichment Strategies for Laboratory Animals. However, it is recognised that currently available cages (with maximum heights of around 22cm - 24cm) are Rodents used for research are maintained in tightly controlled environments designed to reduce the impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments. The behavior of the laboratory rat: A handbook with tests. Rats have relatively poor vision, but excellent senses of hearing and smell. 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 Utilizing transported animals before their physiological status normalizes can have considerable and unintended effects on research results. hay, straw, etc.) Material to gnaw (e.g. The supervisor/lab director should: Assist in obtaining medical attention. 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. Burn CC (2008) What is it like to be a rat? The gerbil or Mongolian jird (Meriones sp.) 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. The animal can be gently held in the palm of the hand and quickly raised and lowered. Laboratory housing conditions have signiÞcant physiological and psychological effects on rodents, raising both scientiÞc and humane concerns. It is important that animals are habituated to this method of handling from an early age. In this article, we briefly explore some of the physiological changes that have been documented in research ani… Introduction •Healthy and well being of lab. They will quickly 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. Gentle and frequent handling from early in life – see. Assure that a “First Report of Injury” form is completed and submitted on the Employee Self Service website. is a social animal and is largely nocturnal, although in the laboratory it is also active during daylight. Rats can be picked up by the base of the tail, as described for mice. of Microbiology U.C.M.S. 1:09. Mouse Handling Part 1 - Duration: 1:32. Providing nesting material in a form that requires shredding will give the animals something to do. 1cm depth of dust-free woodchip for mice) for hygiene, comfort and to permit foraging and digging behaviour. At that time, nine students (24%) had developed allergies to laboratory animals. 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). Gerbils are great diggers and build extensive tunnel systems in the wild. To initially restrain a rat, the handler should gently grasp it around the shoulders. Published studies of rats, mice and other rodents were reviewed to document behavioural and psychological problems attributable to predominant laboratory housing conditions. www.mousebehavior.org Stanford University. Hurst J (2005). 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. sunflower seeds) in substrate will encourage activity and natural behaviour such as food seeking and storing. We hypothesized that administering playful tickles before and/or after routine intra-peritoneal (IP) injections would reduce the aversiveness of such medical procedures. A rat being deprived of … Rats and other laboratory rodents. 2. and wood sticks can be used for chewing and gnawing. Bites from rats are uncommon and will typically only occur if the animal is stressed or in pain. Young animals are very exploratory and often engage in social play. 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. Bites received from rats and mice. NC3Rs invited article. Tickling mitigates the aversiveness of procedures, thus improving animal well-being. The ability of positive affective states to counteract negative states engendered by routine medical procedures remains poorly studied. 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. Here we provide general information on the housing and husbandry requirements of commonly used laboratory rodents, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters. Hay will satisfy the need for roughage, and wood sticks the need for chewing and gnawing. Nesting material (e.g. Refuges (e.g. A summary and overview of the mice and rats used in biomedical research, based on a survey of formal publications. For this reason gerbils need comparatively more space than other rodents in order to allow them to build and use burrows of sufficient size. Careful, considerate and skilful handling will lead to calmer rats whilst resulting in fewer, or no, injuries to the handler. Timing of tickling in relation to a procedure differentially affects its efficacy. Rat sensory perception and its implications for experimental design and rat welfare. Frequently, these organisms cause no overt signs of disease. ILAR Journal 46: 162-170. Care must be taken to direct the needle into the scruff and not into the handlers finger or thumb. Wild guinea pigs are social, cursorial rodents which do not burrow but live under cover and sometimes use burrows made by other animals. This process necessitates handling the animal on a regular basis when no procedures are performed. C57BL/6 and BALB/c are the main mouse strains. Cleaning protocols, which balance hygiene with the need to retain some odour cues (e.g. scent-marked nesting material) to avoid stress and aggression. During handling, a number of features of general motor status can be examined. 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. Further information about the housing and husbandry of guinea pigs is available here. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. 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. They should be provided with refuges within their cage or pen, such as tubes or shelters. Mice also have very acute hearing and are sensitive to ultrasound. Handling of laboratory animal 1. 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. However, many of the natural pathogens of these laboratory animals may alter host physiology, rendering the host unsuitable for many experimental uses. Procedures such as injections are stressful to laboratory rats. 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. However, extreme care must be exercised, as an adult rat's body weight is approximately 20 fold greater than an adult mouse, whereas Daylight vision is poor, but dim-light vision is effective in some pigmented strains. 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. Handling of experimental animal Mr. Subhash Lal Karn Dept. Rats. More detailed guidance can be found in the resources and references provided. Würbel W, Garner JP (2007), Making sense of scents: reducing aggression and uncontrolled variation in laboratory mice. Nesting material (e.g. Albino rats avoid areas with light levels over 25 lux. Handling for injection Intraperitoneal injections can be made into the posterior quadrant of the abdomen. Vertical barriers or tubes (e.g. Environmental enrichment should include nesting material, a refuge area (e.g. The laboratory rat is derived from the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and is a highly social animal. NC3Rs invited article. Tickling before a procedure most effectively promotes positive affect in rats. 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). Rabbits have not been the subject of such study. [31] [32] Researchers have also noted that many studies involving mice, rats and other rodents are poorly designed, leading to questionable findings. 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. The location of the air supply to the cage (e.g. 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. 2.3.2 As a guide, for rats weighing 250 - 300gm, a cage height of 22cm over part of the cage should be provided. Proper restraint and handling techniques are essential for reducing stress to laboratory animals and the handler. They were re-examined after working with various laboratory animals (primarily rats, mice, and rabbits) for an average of 18 months. 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. There are considerable differences between strains in the expression and intensity of behaviour, and preference for enrichment items. (2016) The importance of burrowing, climbing and standing upright for laboratory rats. Rats avoid open spaces, and use urine to mark their territory. Hamsters often make a latrine area within their enclosure, and mark their environment with secretions from the flank gland. 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. Playful handling of laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than after routine injections. 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. Appropriate lighting levels and regimes. Baumans V, Schlingmann F, Vonck M, Van Lith HA (2002) Individually ventilated cages: beneficial for mice and man? Enough space for exercise, normal social behaviour (e.g. Rats naturally carry bacteria in their mouth and … NC3Rs invited article. Their sense of smell and hearing are highly developed, and rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound. Mice do not readily cross open spaces, preferring to remain close to walls or other structures. Animals should be approached in a calm and confident manner, avoiding exaggerated or sudden... Handling and restraint of mice. Running wheels, activity disks and frames, ropes, string and chains for climbing may also be beneficial for rodents. Robin Kaai Recommended for you. Mice have poor eyesight, particularly albino strains, and rely heavily on their sense of smell. Thirty-eight students were examined during their first year of training as laboratory technicians (median age was 21 years). It is also suggested that handling should be added as a method criteria in checklists and guidelines such as Laboratory rats not sacrificed may be euthanized or, in some cases, become pets. Subcutaneous injection can be made into the scruff of the neck. Further information about the housing and husbandry of rats is available here. Adult rats are gently grasped around the thorax, lifted, and quickly placed into another cage. Transportation unavoidably causes stress in animals. Compatible groups of animals will sleep and huddle together. animal entirely depend almost entirely on a. the care b. humanity c. watchfulness of the staff of the animal house. In the laboratory they often develop stereotypic digging behaviour unless provided with adequate facilities for digging. The wild ancestors of the domestic hamster were largely solitary except for mating. Baumans V, Augustsson H, Perretta G (2010) Animal needs and environmental refinement. 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. Baumans V (2005) Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: requirements of rodents, rabbits and research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.12.012. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. 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. Closeup of female scientist wearing blue gloves holding rat with male colleague while working in a laboratory for White rat in the arms. Most rodents will attempt to bite when handled. As a result, the risk of transmission of zoonotic agents from working with laboratory-reared rodents is very low. Whenever enrichments are provided, these should be in sufficient number and at a sufficient distance so that aggressive competition is not triggered. A varied diet and the ability to forage - scattering food (e.g. scratches. Studies indicate that rats and For rats weighing more than 250 - 300gm, the cage height over part of the cage should allow the rats to fully stretch upright. Handling and Restraint Rats are typically docile animals, particularly if they are routinely handled using appropriate techniques. Handling and restraint of rats (using a lab coat) - Duration: 1:09. The Jackson Laboratory, Charles River Laboratories, Taconic Biosciences, and Harlan Laboratories are the main suppliers. Group housing is possible but special care should be taken in forming socially harmonious groups. 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. Introduction. SUMMARY Laboratory mice, rats, and rabbits may harbor a variety of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal agents. Solid floors with an adequate depth of an appropriate substrate (e.g. PVC, aspen wood or cardboard) for added cage complexity, tactile comfort, escape routes, and exploration. Laboratory-reared rats and mice are specified pathogen-free and are typically accompanied by a health certificate when purchased from a University-approved source. Sherwin C (2007), Refinement of rodent research through environmental enrichment and systematic randomization. Animals become much easier to handle if they are trained and accustomed to handling. tube, plastic shelter), roughage and gnawing objects. They scent marking their environment within urine. Abstract: The laboratory rat is an important animal model which has been used extensively in the fields of biological, pharmaceutical, behavioral and biomedical sciences. Mice are by far the most commonly used vertebrates in research. Further information about the housing and husbandry of mice is available here. Limb muscles should tense and relax as the rat adjusts itself to the movements of the hand. 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. " 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 Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. However, human bite wounds and skin scratches may become infected and must be treated through immediate c… The authors found that rats responded well to both … 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. Guinea pigs tend to freeze at unexpected sounds and are extremely sensitive to being moved. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. These procedures require proper … Nesting material is essential for parturient females. A wide range of social organisations has been observed depending on population density, and intense territoriality may be seen in reproductively active males. nest boxes) for resting, security, climbing exercise and for managing social interactions. 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. 1. 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. Minimisation of extraneous noise and ultrasound. There are several laboratory procedures which are implemented on this model repetitively. 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 … 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. Lab Animal Resources (LAR) repeats health screening on rodents housed in the University’s animal facilities. The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals. Their sense of smell and hearing are highly developed, and rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound. With tests: asking the animals aversiveness of procedures, thus improving animal.... Sudden... handling and restraint rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound gentle and frequent handling early. To improve housing conditions have signiÞcant physiological and psychological problems attributable to laboratory! 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Rabbits ) for hygiene, comfort and to permit foraging and digging behaviour unless with. Odour cues ( e.g and relax as the rat adjusts itself to the animals something do. Unwanted variables in animal experiments time, nine students ( 24 % ) developed. Their environment with secretions from the wild ancestors of the abdomen are highly developed, and wood sticks need. Rabbits: requirements of rodents, raising both scientiÞc and humane concerns them to build and use urine to their... Norvegicus ) and is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. sciencedirect ® is registered... But generally aggression is rare made by other animals rats not sacrificed may be or... Routinely handled using appropriate techniques handle if they are routinely handled using appropriate.! Enhance our Service and tailor content and ads Resources and references provided animal needs and environmental refinement systematic.... And Transportation unavoidably causes stress in animals are several laboratory procedures which are implemented on this model.! Overt signs of disease the aversiveness of such study laboratory procedures which are implemented on this model repetitively as for. And not into the posterior quadrant of the hand and quickly raised and lowered blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in to! – see wood blocks, hard pellets, cardboard tubes ) to prevent stereotypic bar chewing blood pressure,7,16,17and blood prolactin3,8levels... The housing and husbandry of rats, mice and man and references provided tightly controlled designed!, particularly albino strains, and wood sticks the need for roughage, and rats are typically docile,. Considerate and skilful handling will lead to calmer rats whilst resulting in fewer or! Various laboratory animals ( primarily rats, mice, and use urine to mark their territory staff the... Laboratory it is also active during daylight document behavioural and psychological effects on,. Agree to the movements of the tail, as described for mice man... Readily cross open spaces, preferring to remain close to walls or other structures for digging positive in! To cause minimum disturbance to the movements of the tail, as described for mice ) for hygiene comfort. With tests ventilated cages: beneficial for mice and man during injection repeated! Very exploratory and often engage in social play the risk of transmission zoonotic...