Behavioral Research Blog

The relationship between food scarcity and caching in fox squirrels

We’ve all seen squirrels carrying acorns around in their mouths and burying them in the ground. This is a way to hoard food, and most squirrels use a strategy called scatter-hoarding.

How wild cavies and domesticated guinea pigs differ

Domestication has a considerable effect on the behavior of animals. The dramatic change in their environment and provision of food alter the need for behaviors such as exploration. But what exactly is the difference?

The impact of visitor access in a shelter on the welfare of shelter dogs

If you’ve ever been to a shelter to adopt a dog, you know that when you walk into the holding area, the dogs can get very noisy.

Adolescent Motherhood – observing mother-infant behavior

Adolescent mothers are tackling their transition to adulthood and the transition to parenthood. This is called the double risk for mother and infant, inherent in adolescent motherhood.

How an internal clock gene can alter innate behaviors in mice

Some might argue that laboratory mice are not the same as wild mice, yet they remain capable of performing the innate, routine behaviors necessary to survive in natural environments, such as courtship and nest-building,

Interspecific aggression: spotted dolphins vs. bottlenose dolphins

In the animal kingdom, competition is a part of life. Dominance hierarchies are common both within a group in a species (intergroup) or between two different species (interspecific).

The welfare of therapy dogs

Dogs have been used with adult substance abuse patients in animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) and animal-assisted therapy (AAT). Why use dogs in therapy? The impact of animal-assisted therapy on the dogs.

How to measure emotions in pigs

A commonly used assay for assessment of fear in animals is the novel environment test.In this test, an animal is placed in an arena for a particular time period and behaviors are scored.

6 things you must consider to improve your open field testing

Here are six recommendations the authors list to improve the translational and predictive value of behavioral readouts.

The do’s and don’ts in behavioral testing: improve your open field test

Scientists have been performing open field tests for quite some time now. Over the years it has become one of the most popular tests in rodent behavioral research. So what’s not to love?

Insect damage on leaves changes the reproductive strategy of plants

We all know that the majority of plant species depends on pollinators, like bees and syrphid flies, for reproduction. What most of us do not know is that this process is far more complex than it looks at first sight.

How zebrafish regenerate (and how to measure their recovery)

We all know of animals that are able to regenerate: lizards that grow back their tails, flatworms that can grow into new worms when cut in half. Zebrafish have this special ability as well.