Understanding Laboratory Animal Behaviors – The interpretation that matters.
The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals recommends that personnel responsible for animal care and husbandry should receive training in the behavioral biology of the species under their care. Similar to their role in providing front-line observation for clinical illnesses, personnel responsible for daily care should be adequately familiar with normal animal behavior such that abnormal behavior may be recognized and reported. Animals share some common behavior across different species. The species-specific behavior, however, is the key to improve captive management. This presentation will explain different strategies to solve or improve the well-being of common laboratory animals in captivity by understanding the normal and abnormal behavior.