Abnormal/Problematic Behavior

Includes stereotypies, self-injurious behavior, hair pulling (alopecia), barbering, feather pecking, tail biting, etc.

Gross, A. N., Engel, A. K. J., Richter, S. H. et al. 2011. Cage-induced stereotypies in female ICR CD-1 mice do not correlate with recurrent perseveration. Behavioural Brain Research 216(2), 613-620.

Stereotypies are repetitive, unvarying, apparently purposeless behavioural patterns. They develop in animals kept in barren environments and are highly prevalent in laboratory mice (Mus musculus), yet their underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. In humans, stereotypies...

Kirby-Madden, T., Waring, C. T., Herron, M. 2024. Effects of gabapentin on the treatment of behavioral disorders in dogs: A retrospective evaluation. Animals 14(10), 1462.

The use of gabapentin in treating dogs with behavioral disorders is not well described. To characterize behavioral effects of gabapentin, this study surveyed 50 owners whose dogs were prescribed gabapentin at a veterinary behavior-focused practice...

Meulendijks, R., Weimar, M. M., Kappelhof, J. et al. 2024. Case study: Visual barriers reduce pacing in captive tigers. Zoo Biology 43(2), 199–204.

Captive large felines are prone to abnormal repetitive behaviors like pacing, which are associated with welfare issues. Visual contact without the opportunity to engage in appropriate behavior is known to increase pacing. To better understand...

Bandeli, M., Mellor, E. L., Kroshko, J. et al. 2023. The welfare problems of wide-ranging Carnivora reflect naturally itinerant lifestyles. Royal Society Open Science 10, 230437.

Carnivora with naturally small home ranges readily adjust tothe evolutionarily new environment of captivity, but wider-ranging species seem prone to stress. Understanding why wouldadvance both collection planning and enclosure design. Wetherefore investigated which aspects of...