Post by Ritzie/Admin on Apr 8, 2004 13:49:23 GMT -8
Source: Housing and husbandry conditions affect stereotypic behaviour in laboratory gerbils, by Eva Waiblinger and Barbara König: www.forschung3r.ch/fr/publications/bu16.html.
Separation of juveniles and their families
Initially we hypothesised that bar-chewing in gerbils was either a replacement activity caused by the lack of appropriate chewable nesting material or a reinforced bar-manipulation caused by the close proximity of their food pellets to the bars of the cage-lid in the food hopper. Experiments showed, however, that neither of these factors had an influence on the development of bar-chewing.
Upon closer observation, we found that bar-chewing significantly increased after juvenile gerbils were separated from their families and housed in a separate cage with fresh bedding material (“Transfer” in Fig.2; WAIBLINGER & KÖNIG 1999). We therefore tested the influence of both the process of separation and the transfer to a fresh cage on the development of stereotypic bar-chewing. Juvenile gerbils significantly increased bar-chewing if separated from their family before the next litter (“younger siblings” in Fig. 2) was born. Bar-chewing might therefore reflect the juvenile animals’ motivation to return to their families, as long as there are no younger siblings present. By separating family and juveniles only after the birth of a younger litter in the family, the development of stereotypic bar-chewing can thus be reduced (“Separation” in Fig.2). The time interval between litters averages 35 days in gerbils, therefore we suggest not separating parents from their juveniles before the age of 5 weeks.
Fig. 2
Influence of the presence of younger siblings on the development of stereotypic bar-chewing measured over a 21 min observation period/animal/day on day 33/34 and 36/37.
Separation of juveniles and their families
Initially we hypothesised that bar-chewing in gerbils was either a replacement activity caused by the lack of appropriate chewable nesting material or a reinforced bar-manipulation caused by the close proximity of their food pellets to the bars of the cage-lid in the food hopper. Experiments showed, however, that neither of these factors had an influence on the development of bar-chewing.
Upon closer observation, we found that bar-chewing significantly increased after juvenile gerbils were separated from their families and housed in a separate cage with fresh bedding material (“Transfer” in Fig.2; WAIBLINGER & KÖNIG 1999). We therefore tested the influence of both the process of separation and the transfer to a fresh cage on the development of stereotypic bar-chewing. Juvenile gerbils significantly increased bar-chewing if separated from their family before the next litter (“younger siblings” in Fig. 2) was born. Bar-chewing might therefore reflect the juvenile animals’ motivation to return to their families, as long as there are no younger siblings present. By separating family and juveniles only after the birth of a younger litter in the family, the development of stereotypic bar-chewing can thus be reduced (“Separation” in Fig.2). The time interval between litters averages 35 days in gerbils, therefore we suggest not separating parents from their juveniles before the age of 5 weeks.
Fig. 2
Influence of the presence of younger siblings on the development of stereotypic bar-chewing measured over a 21 min observation period/animal/day on day 33/34 and 36/37.
I cannot tell by head of they stayed with the mother and newborn pups, but many of my gerbils do!