Pathobiology and Population Sciences

Lifting laboratory rats: a survey of methods, handlers’ reasons and concerns, and rat behavioural responses (2023)
Journal Article
Burn, C., Camacho, T., & Hockenhull, J. (2023). Lifting laboratory rats: a survey of methods, handlers’ reasons and concerns, and rat behavioural responses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 268, Article 106077. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2023.106077

Lifting mice by the tail is of animal welfare and scientific concern, but rat lifting methods are little researched, potentially differing from mice. Using an online questionnaire we explored different methods for lifting laboratory rats, alongside h... Read More about Lifting laboratory rats: a survey of methods, handlers’ reasons and concerns, and rat behavioural responses.

Ear disease in pet rabbits: owner-reported data from a UK survey 2021-2022 (2023)
Dataset
Chivers, B., Keeler, M., & Burn, C. (in press). Ear disease in pet rabbits: owner-reported data from a UK survey 2021-2022. [Dataset]

Methods, analysis and interpretation of these data are published in Chivers, B. D., Keeler, M. R. D., and Burn, C. C. (2023) Ear health and quality of life in pet rabbits of differing ear conformations: a UK survey of owner-reported signalment risk... Read More about Ear disease in pet rabbits: owner-reported data from a UK survey 2021-2022.

Housing and Environmental Enrichment of the Domestic Ferret: A Multi-Sector Survey (2022)
Journal Article
Dancer, A. M., Díez-León, M., Bizley, J. K., & Burn, C. C. (2022). Housing and Environmental Enrichment of the Domestic Ferret: A Multi-Sector Survey. Animals, 12, Article 1065. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091065

Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are kept and used in multiple sectors of society, but little is known about how they are housed and what environmental enrichment (EE) they may benefit from. We aimed to help guide caretakers about what housing and EE... Read More about Housing and Environmental Enrichment of the Domestic Ferret: A Multi-Sector Survey.

A tunnel is not enough: Mice benefit from in-cage provision of a communal shelter as well as a handling tunnel (2021)
Journal Article
Burn, C., & Popat, R. (2021). A tunnel is not enough: Mice benefit from in-cage provision of a communal shelter as well as a handling tunnel. Animal Technology and Welfare, 20, 203-210

Mouse shelters can provide mice with security, help them thermoregulate, offer darkness to prevent damage to their eyes and enable climbing and gnawing opportunities. For laboratory mice, there is a vast array of commercially available cage furniture... Read More about A tunnel is not enough: Mice benefit from in-cage provision of a communal shelter as well as a handling tunnel.

Do rabbits need each other? Effects of single versus paired housing on rabbit body temperature and behaviour in a UK shelter (2020)
Journal Article
Burn, C. C., & Shields, P. (2020). Do rabbits need each other? Effects of single versus paired housing on rabbit body temperature and behaviour in a UK shelter. https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.29.2.209

In the wild, rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are social but territorial. Recent surveys suggest that over half of pet rabbits are housed singly. We aimed to compare welfare in single versus paired rabbits. We predicted singletons would show more abno... Read More about Do rabbits need each other? Effects of single versus paired housing on rabbit body temperature and behaviour in a UK shelter.

Does ‘playtime’ reduce stimulus-seeking and other boredom-like behaviour in laboratory ferrets? (2020)
Journal Article
Burn, C. C., Raffle, J., & Bizley, J. K. (2020). Does ‘playtime’ reduce stimulus-seeking and other boredom-like behaviour in laboratory ferrets?

Much environmental enrichment for laboratory animals is intended to enhance animal welfare and normalcy by providing stimulation to reduce ‘boredom’. Behavioural manifestations of boredom include restless sensation-seeking behaviours combined with in... Read More about Does ‘playtime’ reduce stimulus-seeking and other boredom-like behaviour in laboratory ferrets?.

Lop-eared rabbits have more aural and dental problems than erect-eared rabbits: a rescue population study (2019)
Journal Article
Johnson, J. C., & Burn, C. C. (2019). Lop-eared rabbits have more aural and dental problems than erect-eared rabbits: a rescue population study. Veterinary Record, 185(758), https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105163

This research aimed to assess whether rabbits having lop ears, an artificially selected conformation, compromises welfare. We investigated the occurrence of aural and dental pathology in lop-eared compared with erect-eared rabbits. Thirty rabbits (15... Read More about Lop-eared rabbits have more aural and dental problems than erect-eared rabbits: a rescue population study.

Visitor effects on zoo-housed Sulawesi crested macaque (Macaca nigra) behaviour: Can signs with ‘watching eyes’ requesting quietness help? (2019)
Journal Article
Dancer, A. M. M., & Burn, C. C. (2019). Visitor effects on zoo-housed Sulawesi crested macaque (Macaca nigra) behaviour: Can signs with ‘watching eyes’ requesting quietness help?. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 211, 88-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.12.005

Visiting public can cause changes in the behaviour of zoo-housed primates. These effects, if indicative of stress, can be of welfare concern. However, few options to mitigate visitor effects through modulating visitor behaviour have been explored. He... Read More about Visitor effects on zoo-housed Sulawesi crested macaque (Macaca nigra) behaviour: Can signs with ‘watching eyes’ requesting quietness help?.

Prospective cohort study to assess rates of contagious disease in pre-weaned UK dairy heifers: management practices, passive transfer of immunity and associated calf health (2017)
Journal Article
Johnson, K. F., Chancellor, N., Burn, C. C., & Wathes, D. C. (2017). Prospective cohort study to assess rates of contagious disease in pre-weaned UK dairy heifers: management practices, passive transfer of immunity and associated calf health. Veterinary Record Open, 4, e000226. https://doi.org/10.1136/vetreco-2017-000226

Outputs (23)