title: Housing and husbandry conditions affect stereotypic behaviour in laboratory gerbils.
abstract: An artificial burrow was developed which fits into standard laboratory cages and significantly reduces stereotypic digging in gerbils. Also, the causes of bar-chewing were assessed experimentally. Neither the lack of gnawing material, nor the spatial proximity of cage-lid bars and food in the hopper nor the routine husbandry procedure of transferring juvenile gerbils to a fresh cage, but premature separation of juvenile gerbils from their parents before the birth of younger siblings significantly increased bar-chewing.
authors.affiliation: Animal Behaviour, Zoological Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. eva.waiblinger@tierschutz.com
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Waiblinger
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: König
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000592:standards*; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory / Q000523:psychology*; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000523:psychology*; D006799:Housing, Animal / Q000592:standards*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology*