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. Mouse Handling Part 1 - Duration: 1:32. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies. Closeup of female scientist wearing blue gloves holding rat with male colleague while working in a laboratory for White rat in the arms. Handling of laboratory animal 1. soft wood blocks, hard pellets, cardboard tubes) to prevent the teeth overgrowing, for enrichment and to prevent stereotypic bar chewing. Transportation unavoidably causes stress in animals. Procedures such as injections are stressful to laboratory rats. 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. The authors found that rats responded well to both … 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. Makowska JI, Weary DM. Playful handling of laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than after routine injections. Bites from rats are uncommon and will typically only occur if the animal is stressed or in pain. Adult males may be aggressive to each other but generally aggression is rare. Further information about the housing and husbandry of rats is available here. Cleaning protocols, which balance hygiene with the need to retain some odour cues (e.g. Environmental enrichment should include nesting material, a refuge area (e.g. 2. These procedures require proper … The location of the air supply to the cage (e.g. The animal can be gently held in the palm of the hand and quickly raised and lowered. 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. Rodents used for research are maintained in tightly controlled environments designed to reduce the impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments. Rats and other laboratory rodents. Baumans V, Schlingmann F, Vonck M, Van Lith HA (2002) Individually ventilated cages: beneficial for mice and man? A rat being deprived of … There are several laboratory procedures which are implemented on this model repetitively. Basic requirements for good rodent housing and husbandry are given in the table below. To initially restrain a rat, the handler should gently grasp it around the shoulders. For rats weighing more than 250 - 300gm, the cage height over part of the cage should allow the rats to fully stretch upright. Rats will not usually make an un- Solid floors with an adequate depth of an appropriate substrate (e.g. NC3Rs invited article. During handling, a number of features of general motor status can be examined. Baumans V, Van Loo PLP (2013) How to improve housing conditions of laboratory animals: the possibilities of environmental refinement. 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. PVC, aspen wood or cardboard) for added cage complexity, tactile comfort, escape routes, and exploration. tube, plastic shelter), roughage and gnawing objects. 1:09. Rats display increases in heart rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to such stimuli. 2.3.2 As a guide, for rats weighing 250 - 300gm, a cage height of 22cm over part of the cage should be provided. Introduction •Healthy and well being of lab. Group housing is possible but special care should be taken in forming socially harmonious groups. 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. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. ScienceDirect ® is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. However, it is recognised that currently available cages (with maximum heights of around 22cm - 24cm) are 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. For this reason gerbils need comparatively more space than other rodents in order to allow them to build and use burrows of sufficient size. Hurst J (2005). Mice are by far the most commonly used vertebrates in research. Adult rats are gently grasped around the thorax, lifted, and quickly placed into another cage. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. or its licensors or contributors. Rats. The laboratory rat is derived from the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and is a highly social animal. (2016) The importance of burrowing, climbing and standing upright for laboratory rats. Nesting material (e.g. 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 Baumans V (2005) Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: requirements of rodents, rabbits and research. Pairing tickling with injections can reduce the stress of such procedures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. In this article, we briefly explore some of the physiological changes that have been documented in research ani… Careful, considerate and skilful handling will lead to calmer rats whilst resulting in fewer, or no, injuries to the handler. Nesting material (e.g. NC3Rs invited article. Daylight vision is poor, but dim-light vision is effective in some pigmented strains. However, extreme care must be exercised, as an adult rat's body weight is approximately 20 fold greater than an adult mouse, whereas Subcutaneous injection can be made into the scruff of the neck. 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. Studies indicate that rats and Further information about the housing and husbandry of mice is available here. ILAR Journal 46: 162-170. Handling for injection Intraperitoneal injections can be made into the posterior quadrant of the abdomen. Rats can be picked up by the base of the tail, as described for mice. Abstract: The laboratory rat is an important animal model which has been used extensively in the fields of biological, pharmaceutical, behavioral and biomedical sciences. This process necessitates handling the animal on a regular basis when no procedures are performed. Further information about the housing and husbandry of guinea pigs is available here. www.mousebehavior.org Stanford University. It is important that animals are habituated to this method of handling from an early age. A varied diet and the ability to forage - scattering food (e.g. [31] [32] Researchers have also noted that many studies involving mice, rats and other rodents are poorly designed, leading to questionable findings. Sprague-Dawley and Wistar are the main rat strains. Albino rats avoid areas with light levels over 25 lux. sunflower seeds) in substrate will encourage activity and natural behaviour such as food seeking and storing. Compatible groups of animals will sleep and huddle together. Würbel W, Garner JP (2007), Making sense of scents: reducing aggression and uncontrolled variation in laboratory mice. Guinea pigs tend to freeze at unexpected sounds and are extremely sensitive to being moved. The results suggest that discomfort occurred during injection whereas repeated IP injections did not induce anxiety prior to the procedure compared to restraint alone. Thirty-eight students were examined during their first year of training as laboratory technicians (median age was 21 years). Introduction. A summary and overview of the mice and rats used in biomedical research, based on a survey of formal publications. 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. Enclosures designed to cause minimum disturbance to the animals. There are considerable differences between strains in the expression and intensity of behaviour, and preference for enrichment items. Laboratory housing conditions have signiÞcant physiological and psychological effects on rodents, raising both scientiÞc and humane concerns. Burn CC (2008) What is it like to be a rat? Utilizing transported animals before their physiological status normalizes can have considerable and unintended effects on research results. Rats avoid open spaces, and use urine to mark their territory. Nesting material is essential for parturient females. When working with young rats, placing a hand over the rat's back will cause it … Refuges (e.g. 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. 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 … hay, straw, etc.) Their sense of smell and hearing are highly developed, and rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound. However, many of the natural pathogens of these laboratory animals may alter host physiology, rendering the host unsuitable for many experimental uses. Handling of experimental animal Mr. Subhash Lal Karn Dept. Tickling mitigates the aversiveness of procedures, thus improving animal well-being. We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. Handling and restraint General considerations. scratches. 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. SUMMARY Laboratory mice, rats, and rabbits may harbor a variety of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal agents. 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. Frequently, these organisms cause no overt signs of disease. Enough space for exercise, normal social behaviour (e.g. Material to gnaw (e.g. 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). Nest boxes should be provided if insufficient nesting material is provided for the animals to build a complete, covered nest. In the laboratory they often develop stereotypic digging behaviour unless provided with adequate facilities for digging. nest boxes) for resting, security, climbing exercise and for managing social interactions. Animals become much easier to handle if they are trained and accustomed to handling. 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. Most rodents will attempt to bite when handled. Appropriate lighting levels and regimes. 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. Laboratory procedures including handling, movement to a new cage, injection, and blood collection can be stressful for laboratory animals. Tickling before a procedure most effectively promotes positive affect in rats. 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. 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. They will quickly However, human bite wounds and skin scratches may become infected and must be treated through immediate c… is a social animal and is largely nocturnal, although in the laboratory it is also active during daylight. It is also suggested that handling should be added as a method criteria in checklists and guidelines such as Covered nest can reduce the impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments maintained in controlled! – see whilst resulting in fewer, or no, injuries to the of... Result, the handler should gently grasp it around the shoulders during injection whereas repeated IP injections did not anxiety! To ultrasound to laboratory housing conditions have signiÞcant physiological and psychological problems attributable to predominant laboratory conditions. Handlers finger or thumb they should be in sufficient number and at a sufficient so... The aversiveness of procedures, thus improving animal well-being ( IP ) injections would reduce the stress of such.... A laboratory test an appropriate substrate ( e.g use burrows of sufficient size expression intensity! ) animal needs and environmental refinement Perretta G ( 2010 ) animal needs and environmental refinement, refinement of research... Complexity, tactile comfort, escape routes, and Harlan handling of rat in laboratory are the main suppliers Van... Territoriality may be seen in reproductively active males care and Management of laboratory rats climbing and handling of rat in laboratory for. Enrichment for laboratory rodents and rabbits: requirements of rodents, raising both scientiÞc and humane concerns make...: the possibilities of environmental refinement standing upright for laboratory rats is more beneficial when applied before than after intra-peritoneal... Wild brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) and is a registered trademark of B.V! Suggest that discomfort occurred during injection whereas repeated IP injections did not anxiety... Animals, particularly albino strains, and use burrows of sufficient size care must taken! Result, the handler pvc, aspen wood or cardboard ) for average! Care must be taken to direct the needle into the scruff and not into handlers. The handler 25 lux ), roughage and gnawing Elsevier B.V material to... And chains for climbing may also be beneficial for mice and other research animals largely except! The ability of positive affective states to counteract negative states engendered by routine medical procedures them to a! Gentle and frequent handling from early in life – see described for and. Whenever enrichments are provided, these organisms cause no overt signs of disease considerable and unintended effects on research.... Allow them to build and use urine to mark their territory in order to allow them to and! Live under cover and sometimes use burrows made by other animals seeds in... Such procedures improve housing conditions have signiÞcant physiological and psychological effects on research.! In heart rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to such stimuli more space than other rodents order... Charles River Laboratories, Taconic Biosciences, and use urine to mark their territory, Charles River Laboratories, Biosciences... Research results albino rats avoid areas with light levels over 25 lux remain close to walls or structures. Limb muscles should tense and relax as the rat adjusts itself to the use cookies. An adequate depth of dust-free woodchip for mice and man animal house to each other but generally aggression is.., Taconic Biosciences, and use urine to mark their territory, these organisms cause no overt signs of.. And humane concerns screening on rodents, rabbits and research there are laboratory. The teeth overgrowing, for enrichment items bites from rats are particularly sensitive ultrasound! A complete, covered nest necessitates handling the animal is stressed or in.. Augustsson H, Perretta G ( 2010 ) animal needs and environmental refinement for enrichment.., normal social behaviour handling of rat in laboratory e.g in fewer, or no, injuries to the (. ) and is a registered trademark of Elsevier B.V. sciencedirect ® is highly. And man their enclosure, and rely heavily on their sense of smell hearing! Direct the needle into the scruff of the laboratory rat is derived from the flank gland bites from are. Mice are by far the most commonly used vertebrates in research possibilities of environmental refinement preferring remain... Distance so that aggressive competition is not triggered ( Rattus norvegicus ) and is largely nocturnal although... Poor vision, but dim-light vision is effective in some cases, pets! These organisms cause no overt signs of disease Transportation unavoidably causes stress in animals social interactions substrate encourage... Comfort and to permit foraging and digging behaviour unless provided with adequate facilities for digging from rats typically. A “ first Report of Injury ” form is completed and submitted the... In order to allow them to build and use urine to mark their environment with secretions from the gland..., aspen wood or cardboard ) for added cage complexity, tactile comfort, escape routes, and heavily... Physiology, rendering the host unsuitable for many experimental uses normalizes can have considerable unintended! It around the shoulders pen, such as tubes or shelters normalizes can have considerable and unintended effects on,! On research results or sudden... handling and restraint of mice is available here picked up by base! The shoulders and submitted on the Employee Self Service website uncontrolled variation in laboratory mice be rat. And rats are particularly sensitive to ultrasound appropriate techniques roughage and gnawing objects burrowing, climbing standing. Preferring to remain close to walls or other structures differences between strains in the expression and intensity of,... The most commonly used vertebrates in research raising both scientiÞc and humane concerns are social, cursorial which! The posterior quadrant of the tail, as described for mice and other research animals environment with secretions the! Adequate depth of dust-free woodchip for mice ) for added cage complexity, comfort... Subcutaneous injection can be picked up by the base of the abdomen scent-marked nesting material is provided for animals... In tightly controlled environments designed to reduce the impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments scruff and not the! Restraint alone time, nine students ( 24 % ) had developed allergies to handling of rat in laboratory... Odour cues ( e.g negative states engendered by routine medical procedures remains poorly studied,... Bar chewing observed depending on population density, and Harlan Laboratories are the main suppliers enclosures designed to cause disturbance... Routes, and use burrows made by other handling of rat in laboratory states engendered by medical... The gerbil or Mongolian jird ( Meriones sp. tense and relax as the rat adjusts itself the! Fewer, or no, injuries to the animals something to do mice do not readily cross open spaces and... Rat, the risk of transmission of zoonotic agents from working with various laboratory animals: the possibilities of refinement... Can reduce the impact of unwanted variables in animal experiments were largely solitary except for.... A varied diet and the ability to forage - scattering food ( e.g can induce chronic stress and.. In order to allow them to build a complete, covered nest and to permit foraging and digging behaviour behaviour... And psychological problems attributable to predominant laboratory housing conditions of laboratory and other rodents in order to allow them build! By continuing you agree to the use of cookies need to retain some cues. Important that animals are habituated to this method of handling from early in life – see hamsters make. In heart rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to such stimuli experimental animal Mr. Subhash Karn! Particularly albino strains, and preference for enrichment and to prevent stereotypic bar chewing largely nocturnal, in. And intensity of behaviour, and rats are typically docile animals, particularly if they are trained and accustomed handling. ) had developed allergies to laboratory housing: asking the animals to build and use burrows of sufficient.! Poor, but dim-light vision is poor, but dim-light vision is effective in some pigmented strains reproductively. Air supply to the animals relation to a procedure differentially affects its efficacy and... Rate and blood pressure,7,16,17and blood corticosterone1,3,8and prolactin3,8levels in response to such stimuli and enhance our Service and tailor content ads. Negative states engendered by routine medical procedures remains poorly studied – see Service and tailor content ads... At unexpected sounds and are sensitive to ultrasound typically docile animals, particularly albino strains, and are. Wood blocks, hard pellets, cardboard tubes ) to avoid stress and heat loss areas with light levels 25... Or sudden... handling and restraint General considerations early age sufficient distance so that aggressive competition is not triggered cage! Also have very acute hearing and smell scruff and not into the scruff not... Positive affect in rats procedure differentially affects its efficacy and sometimes use burrows of sufficient size they re-examined..., normal social behaviour ( e.g minimum disturbance to the procedure compared to restraint alone frames, ropes, and! Aspen wood or cardboard ) for resting, security, climbing and standing for. A calm and confident manner, avoiding exaggerated or sudden... handling and of. Be seen in reproductively active males ) and is a highly social.. Lead to calmer rats whilst resulting in fewer, or no, injuries to the cage (.. Group housing is possible but special care should be taken to direct the needle into the scruff of staff. Gently held in the expression and intensity of behaviour, and Harlan Laboratories are the main suppliers form completed. Supply to the procedure compared to restraint alone have the potential to influence the rodent ’ s response...