Jepm october 2017 – abstracts

There is conflicting evidence regarding the effect of enrichment on the welfare of various reptile species. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of 5 different types of enrichment (visual, olfactory, feeding, object, and thermal) on 4 behavioral indicators in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius): exploration, species-specific behaviors (thermoregulation, hunting), behavioral diversity, and abnormal repetitive behaviors. A total of 16 adult male geckos were each subjected to six 2-week periods of the baseline condition (A) (i.e., containing no environmental enrichment), and six 2-week periods of environmental enrichment (E) in an AEEA, AEEA, AEEA pattern.
Source: Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine - Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Source Type: research