A simple and low-cost environmental enrichment program improves the welfare of Calomys callosus, a species that adapts to animal facilities.

ABSTRACT: An environmental enrichment protocol is essential for testing experimental models because it upholds animal welfare, aligns with ethical principles in animal experimentation, and reduces the number of animals needed. Calomys callosus, a South American rodent from the Cricetidae family, is bred in rodent animal facilities for its ease of handling, longevity, prolificacy, and effectively mimicking diseases like Toxoplasmosis, Leishmaniasis, Chagas, and Schistosomiasis. There are no reports on environmental enrichments for this species or their impact on reproductive parameters. This study aimed to analyze the influence of the Environmental Enrichment Program (EEP) on the reproductive and zootechnical performance of C. callosus kept in the Rodents Animal Facilities Complex of Un

SUBMITTER: Klein SG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11428199 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature