Download Enrichment for Small Mammals and Exotic Pets

The North American Veterinary Conference - 2007
ENRICHMENT FOR SMALL MAMMALS AND
EXOTIC PETS
Bob Church, B.Archaeology, B.Zoology,
ASM, ICAZ, SAA, SAS
Zooarchaeological Analysis and Research
Columbia, MO
ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT
A marked difference noted when comparing small
mammals and exotic pets to their wild counterparts is the
degree of complexity and interaction that exists in nature
and the frequent lack of complexity and interaction in pet
environments. While laboratories, zoos, and large-scale
animal breeding facilities are encouraged or required to
provide enrichment programs for their animals, the
notion is unknown or only marginally accepted with pets.
Many pets spend entire lives locked into sterile
environments with little or no ability to express many
behaviors natural to their species. Environmental
enrichment is designed to modify the captive
environment of an animal to promote natural behaviors
and increase the general well being, while reducing
stress and abnormal behaviors. Environmental
enrichment programs require a basic understanding of
the natural history and behavioral biology of a species.
Enrichment programs should be capable of modification
to meet specific needs of individual animals.
GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT
The goals of environmental enrichment are to
increase the range and number of positive, natural
behaviors, to decrease the number of negative or
injurious unnatural behaviors and harmful stereotypies,
and to provide animals with an improved ability to cope
with the captive environment. To accomplish these
goals, five basic types of environmental enrichment are
utilized.
Categories of Environmental Enrichment
(Young 2003)
Delivery Methods: Food Novelty,
Dietary
Variety, and Types
Occupational Physical Exercise: Psychological and
Activity
Mental Stimulation
Physical
Size and Complexity of Enclosures:
Environment Cage Furniture, Toys, and Objects
Auditory, Tactile, Visual, Olfactory,
Sensory
Taste
Contact with Conspecifics and
Social
Contraspecifics: Non-Contact
Interactions
THE FIVE FREEDOMS
In 1992, the Farm Animal Welfare Council (UK) adopted
the concept of the five freedoms in an effort to better
define acceptable levels of animal welfare. It is argued
the judicious use of environmental enrichment helps
meet the requirements of the Fourth Freedom
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.The Five Freedoms
(FAWC 1992)
Freedom from Hunger and Thirst
Freedom from Discomfort
Freedom from Pain, Injury, and Disease
Freedom to Express Normal Patterns of Behavior
Freedom from Fear and Distress
MEASURES OF WELFARE
Behavior can be used to measure the degree of
welfare of an animal. While it might be difficult to
empirically quantify subjective measurements, its nonempirical nature does not lessen its value. If an animal
shows four measures of welfare, it is a fair assumption it
is enjoying more welfare than an animal that only shows
a single measure.
Measures of Animal Welfare
(Broom 1999)
Variety of Normal Behaviors Expressed
Extent to Which Strongly Preferred Behaviors can
be Expressed
Physiological Indicators of Pleasure
Behavioral Indicators of Pleasure
A NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT IN
SMALL MAMMALS AND EXOTICS
Little data exists to support the effectiveness of
environmental enrichment programs for companion
animals, and specific research is needed. Most
published peer-reviewed research discusses animals in
zoos and labs where needs are already well
documented. Arguments that companion animals have
sufficient human interaction to offset the need for
environmental enrichment have some validity; however,
small mammals and exotics tend to be caged for
extended periods — similar to research and zoo animals
— and interactions can be minimal or non-existent for
extended time intervals. Enrichment programs,
especially those targeted to human adolescents, may
augment interactions and increase human-pet bonding.
HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT
Environmental enrichment generally has a positive
impact or a prophylactic effect on the behavioral,
psychological, and neurological welfare of animals.
Behavioral – Increase in bonding, coping mechanisms,
interest in surroundings, learning ability, and
socialization.
Meets
motivational
requirements.
Reduction of abnormal behaviors, aggression, fear, and
stereotypies.
Psychological – Better behavioral development.
Increase in body weight (for same food amounts),
immune response, and noradrenaline levels. Positive
changes in adrenal size. Reduction of plasma cortisol
levels, and stomach ulceration.
Exotics – Small Mammals
Neurological – Improved social cognition, and visual
perception. Increase in brain biochemistry that aids
learning and cognition, brain cell density, brain damage
recovery, brain weight and size, cognitive function, and
spatial memory.
DESIGNING AN ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
Enrichment programs for small mammals and exotic
pets generally lack goal-based strategies such as those
designed for captive animals in zoos or research
facilities. Because environmental enrichment is designed
to promote species-normal behaviors, the best
enrichments are those that are appropriate to the
animal’s natural history. For example, burrowing animals
enjoy plastic tubes for exploring, while arboreal animals
prefer branches to climb. Constructing a natural historybased enrichment chart for specific species is helpful for
planning enrichments and client education.
CUSTOMIZING ENRICHMENTS FOR DIFFERENT
SPECIES
Not all enrichments are useful or interesting for
different species, especially those that have significantly
different natural histories. Enrichment equipment
valuable for one species, such as a tennis ball for a cat,
can be dangerous for other animals; tennis balls can
wear down dog’s teeth, and ferrets might chew off
pieces to cause an intestinal obstruction. Similarly,
individual animals might not respond to a particular
enrichment, but enjoy others, so it is important to gauge
the reactions of different animals and modify the
enrichment accordingly.
CAGE ENRICHMENTS (PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT)
Animals that are housed in cages for significant
lengths of time have heightened requirements for
environmental enrichment. This is especially true for
those housed in Spartan or unchanging cages. Cage
enrichments include branches, boxes, cinderblocks,
cloth sacks, cut vegetation, food browse, leaves,
magazines, mirrors, mulch, nesting boxes, newspaper,
paper bags, platforms, play tubes, shredded paper, treat
balls, toys, wooden or plastic blocks, and many more.
Because novelty is unusually important, cage
enrichments should be changed frequently. When
possible, periodically change the cage dimensions or
layout.
Natural History
Multiple den sites
Food Quest
Food Quest
Predator Species
Large territories
Arboreal Lifeway
Prey Species
Scent Oriented
Behavior
Sleeping
Digging
Eating
Hunting
Walking
Climbing
Insecurity
Smelling
Equipment
Nesting box
Large tub of soil
Small treats
Small toys
Leash
Branches
Hide Boxes
Scents
FOOD ENRICHMENTS (DIETARY)
There are three basic levels of food enrichments:
treats, snacks, and meals. Treats are tiny-to-small tidbits
given in small amounts that have little nutritional impact.
Snacks are small-to-moderate amounts of food given in
moderate amounts that can influence nutritional balance.
Meals are the main source of nutrition in an animal. For
ferret-sized animals, a meal might be a tablespoon of
kibble, a snack a half dozen pieces, and a treat a single
piece. Food enrichments to encourage environmental
interest includes hiding the meal within the enclosure,
using snacks for training, and randomly distributing a
small number of treats within the cage or play
environment. Another meal enrichment is to divide a
meal into several parts and place them in different
locations. Novel foods given as meals can be quite
enriching for animals subjected to a monotonous diet.
PLAY ENRICHMENTS (OCCUPATIONAL, SOCIAL)
Play can be a solitary activity, as with toys or novel
objects, or it can be a social one with conspecifics, other
pets, or humans. Most domesticated pets enjoy human
play, but some non-domesticated animals have a fearful
“freeze” response that can be misinterpreted as
enjoyment of petting, so study the natural history and
carefully watch reactions for signs of fear. Carefully
monitor play between different types of pets to prevent
injury (accidental or otherwise). Some animals develop a
fondness for particular toys, but for many, the only good
toy is a new one. Swapping appropriate toys between
species usually increases novelty.
BONDING ENRICHMENTS (SOCIAL)
Bonding enrichments are specifically geared to
increase the human-animal bond. Feeding snacks, face
washing, fur plucking, and other grooming activities,
holding the animal while it sleeps, and physical play are
powerful enrichments that help increase pet-owner
bonding. The best strategy is for the human to take a
parental role to the pet, performing activities such as
grooming, feeding (by hand), soothing, and nesting.
MENTAL ENRICHMENTS (OCCUPATIONAL
ACTIVITY)
Mental enrichments include those designed to
stimulate memory and problem solving. Hiding objects or
Enrichment
Make several available for sleeping
Dirt Digging available 2-3 times a week
Hide treats in cups or boxes daily
Make several toys available daily
Walk 2-3 times a week in parks, backyard, etc.
Places branches in cage and play areas
Place hiding boxes in cage and play areas
Place different scents on toys and other objects
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The North American Veterinary Conference - 2007
treats under bedding, within browse, or under cups,
cinderblock mazes, clicker training, and teaching tricks
are all excellent enrichments. Problem-solving
enrichments are likewise excellent, such as the task of
pushing over a cylinder or opening a box to access a
treat. For those with appropriate skills, the construction
of reward devises can be a good way to enrich animals
that endure long cage times or little interaction.
SENSORY ENRICHMENTS (SENSORY)
Sensory enrichments are designed to stimulate
various senses and are effective if for no other reason
than the stimulation itself is enriching. Contrasting
colors, black and white graphic designs, sounds (music,
birdcalls, nature), novel odors, textured objects or
bedding, and unusual foods are very effective. A study of
the animal’s natural history is very important; scents are
better on animals that are olfactory centered, while
mirrors are better with visually centered animals.
SAMPLE ENRICHMENT PLAN — THE FERRET
EXAMPLE
Enrichments work best when they are randomly
applied and the animal cannot anticipate a particular
event. However, some enrichments will be clearly
favored over others, and some can be repeated in a
more regular fashion to create an anticipatory response.
The more enrichments done per day, the better the
results — provided the species has a natural history
conductive to such activities.
CONCLUSIONS
Environmental enrichment is a concept that is rarely
introduced into the lives of pets, yet is especially
important for small mammals and exotics that have little
human interaction and extended caging times. Most
enrichments are cost effective, but admittedly, some can
be time consuming. Little research has been done that
empirically supports that the welfare of a pet is improved
by the addition of an enrichment program, although
anecdotally (and intuitively) an increase in welfare is
noted. A solid enrichment program may strengthen the
owner-pet bond, may increase the welfare of the animal,
and may have a positive effect on the animal’s mental
and physical health.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Dr. Susan Brown and Dr. Heidi
Hoefer for their support, interest, and feedback. I thank
Marylou Zarbock and Ferrets Magazine for providing a
forum to teach about enrichment. I would also like to
thank the ferret community — private individuals,
veterinarians, breeders, ferret shelters and rescues too
numerous to list here — for their generous and
continued support.
References available from the author upon request.
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
A, B, H, M
G, L, N, T
B, D, H, O
A, C, H, Q
D, F, I, N
C, G, O, P
A, H, L, Q
B, E, I, L
B, C, F, H
A, E, J, O
D, G, L, P
C, H, K, M
A, F, N, R
C, F, I, S
F, H, J, P
A, E, K, Q
C, H, L, R
B, E, H, T
A, B, L, N
D, H, M, Q
E, G, N, R
A, C, H, N
D, G, J, P
F, H, K, N
A, I, M, S
C, E, H, T
B, G, L, O
A, J, M, U
A = Leash Walk (1 hr); B = Treats hidden in cage; C = Outdoor Digging; D = Swimming Pool; E = Maze; F = Wooden
Blocks dipped in Novel Scents; G = Leaf Litter; H = Grooming and Play with Humans; I = Box of Old Flowers; J =
Dog’s Bedding in a Box; K = Empty Fast Food Containers; L = Potting Soil in a Tub; M = Rice Box; N = Opened Paper
Bags; O = Pieces of Dog Food; P = Scented Candle Wax on Wood Blocks; Q = Bird Songs; R = Chicken Baby Food
Treat; S = Dirty Socks in a Box; T = Scented Marbles on a Plate, U = Bath
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