Task 2 - animal care PDF

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animal care...

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Normal and abnormal behaviour How lifestyle influences animal behaviour Behaviour

How the behaviours are similar/different

Occurrence of abnormal behaviour

Pacing

In a captive environment a common behaviour for lions to show is pacing, this is different to a wild lion as they would spend much more of their time running around their environment but as this is restricted for a captive lion they don’t have the space to run.

An abnormal behaviour such as pacin would occur in a captive lion whe they’re waiting for food, has a lack o enrichment to occupy them or whe they’re stressed or anxious in the environment. This behaviour wouldn be seen as much in wild lions as the lifestyles are different to that of th captive lion, for example, wild lions ar free to run away from any threats o any situation they find stressful, as we as finding their own food when the want but in captive environment all o these are restricted and they displa pacing as a way to relieve the stress. This abnormal behaviour may occu when a lion is kept isolated from group or not housed with th appropriate conspecifics, for example the lions don’t get on as a group the they won’t groom each other, which a behaviour that would naturally b seen in the wild. Due to this natura behaviour being restricted they ma over groom themselves because the don’t have another lion to groom them as well.

Running

Overgrooming

Living in groups/allo grooming

Pacing

Hunting

Over grooming and allogrooming are two different behaviours that may be seen in captive and wild lions. Over grooming is an abnormal behaviour displayed by captive lions if they’re not housed with the correct conspecifics as they may not be able to allo-groom other lions and they may not be groomed by another lion, meaning they over groom themselves. These behaviours are different to each other as lions would naturally hunt for their food in the wild, but due to captive lions being fed at a set time decided by keepers and not themselves they will pace when they’re expecting food as they aren’t able to go out and hunt for it themselves.

Pacing is likely to occur frequently for captive lion as each day they’re waitin for food to be given to them an become anxious, whereas their natura instinct is to search for and kill pre animals to eat themselves. Pacing unlikely to be seen in a lion in the natural environment as they wouldn be waiting to be given food, they woul be walking round and searching fo prey animals but captive lions ar unable to do this.

Abnormal behaviours in captive animals Asiatic lion: Pacing 

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What the behaviour is and how it is presented: Asiatic lions can show pacing when kept in captivity and it is when an animal walks up and down or around the same area repeatedly. Lions can present this by either walking in a figure of eight, walking round in a circle or near to a fence or the edge of an enclosure. Causes of behaviour and situations it can occur: This behaviour can occur in captive lions for several reasons. Lions may be pacing through anticipation as they could be waiting for food or to be let in or out of an enclosure. It can also be caused by the lion being bored and having a lack of enrichment as their captive environment may not meet their psychological needs and being in this environment means the lion won’t have large amounts of space like they would in the wild, and they also won’t be able to roam around and hunt for food and restricting these behaviours causes stereotypical behaviours, like pacing. Lions also have no control over the environment they are kept in, for example they are fed at certain times of the day, they don’t have much space, and they aren’t able to choose their social groups as all of this is decided by humans. Being in a captive environment can also mean prey species will be insight of the lions but because they’re enclosed they can’t get at them which can cause prolonged lengths of stress. Lions that find these factors stressful will find it harder to reduce their anxiety and stress levels because they are unable to display their natural behaviour.

Spectacled (Andean) Bear: Over grooming/self mutilation 

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What the behaviour is and how it is presented: This behaviour is when they cause self inflicted physical harm, this can include chewing or biting their legs, hitting their head against a wall, grooming too much or pulling out hair and these often lead to irritated skin, ball patches or broken skin. Causes of behaviour and situations it can occur: Over grooming and self mutilation can occur due to the lack of control the bear has over their environment, for example Spectacled Bears are very shy and naturally live in isolated areas and sometimes high up in trees so if the bear is unable to remove itself from a situation it may find stressful or move to higher platforms or trees in the enclosure then it may

display this behaviour. A captive bear may also show this behaviour if they are under stimulated and the environment and enrichment they are provided with doesn’t meet their psychological needs and therefore causes boredom and they may over groom to occupy themselves. Over stimulation can also be a cause as these bears would naturally isolate themselves in the wild so being in a captive environment with close contact with humans and with changes to the environment may cause them to become stressed which is when they may over groom or self mutilate as they may not be able to escape from the stimulus causing the stress. The health of the bear can also be a cause of self mutilation and over grooming as if they have an underlying injury or illness then the behaviour can be a way of self medicating to get relief from the pain, over grooming can provide a distraction and also releases beta endorphins that can calm them, this also makes it a reinforced behaviour as the bear is getting a good feeling from over grooming or self harming and will continue to repeat it.

Abnormal behaviours in domestic animals

Border Collie: Spinning/tail biting 

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What the behaviour is and how it is presented: This is when a dog repeatedly runs in a tight circle, either to try and bite their own tail or just spinning in that direction. Causes of behaviour and situations it can occur: This behaviour can be caused because the dog is under stimulated and because of a lack of enrichment and toys so they play with their tail. As border collies are naturally herding dogs they have a lot of energy and need more stimulation, especially if they’re not allowed to actually herd so when they’re not displaying their natural herding behaviour is when they are likely to show this abnormal behaviour, or even if there just not getting as much exercise as that breed requires. This behaviour can also be a sign of a health issue such as fleas or worms. Spinning or tail biting can also be accidently reinforced as the dog may be rewarded through operant conditioning by giving treats or attention for it, and this is sometimes because it isn’t always recognised as an abnormal behaviour, and this reinforcement will encourage the dog to do it more through learning.

Thoroughbred horse: Wind sucking/crib biting 

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What the behaviour is and how it is presented: Wind sucking is when a horse arches their neck and grabs on to a solid object with their mouth, this could be a stall door or fence which they pull against and suck in air. Causes of behaviour and situations it can occur: This abnormal behaviour can be caused by boredom, stress or can be learnt. Horses that are kept in an environment with low levels of stimulation, such as in a paddock with no enrichment or in a stable with nothing to do they will display this behaviour, especially ex race horses that have been used to an active lifestyle. Wind sucking is also thought to release a chemical and horses that see other horses displaying this behaviour may try it and then become addicted to the chemical release, and therefore carry on doing it. Another cause of this can be due to digestive issues and an incorrect diet which can include mineral deficiencies or feeds that are hard to digest.

Management Strategies

Asiatic Lion Type of behaviour: Pacing Relevant strategies to resolve or reduce the abnormal behaviour: Husbandry: Husbandry techniques may need to be changed in order to prevent this abnormal behaviour, changing the times of when the lion is fed may be beneficial so they don’t become used to a routine of being fed at the same time each day and won’t be expecting the food which is when they would usually display pacing. As pacing can also be caused by the lion waiting to be let in or out of an enclosure the cleaning routines could be changed and done at different times each day, because to allow safe access for the keepers to clean the lion should be in a separate enclosure. Where possible the space that the lion is allowed to roam around in could be increased so it gives them something else to do and enables them to display more of their natural behaviours. As well as this keeping them in social groups is important but this has to be appropriate to the size of the enclosure as male lions especially are territorial so each lion will need adequate space . The location of the lions accommodation can also be important because if they are near to a prey species and can see them in their environment but not access them it can cause them to become stressed as they’re being restricted from one of their natural instincts so they pace as a way of relieving the stress. This can be prevented by locating the lions away from their prey species or blocking their view so they aren’t tempted by them. Enrichment: Enrichment can also be used to reduce or prevent pacing. The habitat design of the lion’s enclosure can be altered to provide a more natural environment, such as more trees or vegetation to mimic their natural environment and because they spend around 20 hours of the day sleeping they will need a suitable area for this and they will need an area to be out of public view as they may become stressed and will need somewhere to hide. The lions should also be provided with feeding enrichment, for Fake zebra filled with food example fake animals can be made with food inside to allow to lions to hunt and rip apart the fake animal as they would with real animals in the wild, as shown in the picture where a zebra has been made and given to the lion. Food can also be provided in different ways such as in tubes, tied on to trees in the enclosure or being hid around the enclosure to allow them to hunt and search for it. Sensory enrichment can also be used as enrichment for lions in captivity, other animals near the lion’s enclosure can provide auditory and visual stimulation to prevent them becoming bored, as well as providing toys and novel objects to mentally stimulate them and trigger them to play, especially lion cubs. All of the enrichment given should be alternated regularly so the lions don’t get used to the same things and become bored.

Thoroughbred horse Type of behaviour: Wind sucking/crib biting Relevant strategies to resolve or reduce the abnormal behaviour:

Husbandry: Husbandry techniques can be changed to prevent abnormal behaviours like wind sucking, the environmental conditions such as how much space the horses have can affect their behaviour so it’s important to ensure horses have enough space to run around or socialise, especially ex race horses as they will be used to racing and getting a lot of exercise so they need space to allow them to do this. Electrical fencing can also be used around the fence or to section of an area so the horse has nothing to bite onto to display the behaviour and to deter them, and if a horse does this behaviour on a stable door then a metal covering can be placed over the top of the door, but other measure may have to be taken as the horse may continue to do this on the metal and cause damage to their teeth. A wind suck or crib bite collar can also be used as this will cause discomfort to the horse when they arch their neck and Crib bite collar therefore deter them from displaying the behaviour. However crib bite collars don’t remove the cause or need for the behaviour and may not be fully effective in preventing it so other preventative measures would have to be taken alongside the use of the collar. As this behaviour can sometimes be caused by an incorrect diet it’s important to ensure their dietary requirements are being met, and any deficiencies that could be causing the behaviour should be balanced out with dietary supplements. Enrichment: Interactive enrichment can be used to prevent this behaviour, food balls can be given as it distracts them from being bored and it’s also feeding enrichment as when the ball is moved around food or treats will fall out, making the horse want to play with it more. It’s also important that horses are provided with a hay net or salt lick, especially when they’re in a stall or stable and also that they have enough grass to graze on when they’re out in a paddock or field, as this can keep them occupied and can Food ball prevent boredom. Social enrichment is also important for horses as they’re naturally social animals and need other horses to run around and play with, however if one horse is wind sucking then they should be kept out of sight of the other horses as it can be a learnt behaviour and other horses may copy. As well as this the grouping should be considered carefully as if there’s one more dominant horse in that group that picks on or bullies another horse it can cause the horse to become stressed and may lead to them wind sucking. Any enrichment given to the horse should be alternated to ensure they don’t become bored as the toys, hay net or salt lick etc won’t be effective if the horse isn’t interested in them. For a horse that is in a stable the amount of hay they have daily can be given in smaller amounts more frequently to keep the horse busy throughout the day instead of giving them all of it at once.

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(2015). Horse Cribbing. Available: http://www.parelli.com/horse-cribbing.html. Last accessed 7th April 2016. Jae Allen. (2014). Obsessive disorder in border collies. Available: http://pets.thenest.com/obsessive-disorder-border-collies-5341.html. Last accessed 7th April 2016. Paul Janssen. (2011). Lion facts. Available: http://www.outtoafrica.nl/animals/englion.html. Last accessed 15th April 2016. (2002). Curing a cribber. Available: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/horsecare/horse-care-tips/curing-a-cribber-36500. Last accessed 16th April 2016. Abnormal and stereotypic behaviour in captive animals. Available: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/zoo-check/captive-wildlifeissues/abnormal-behaviours/. Last accessed 16th April 2016. (2015). Spectacled Bear. Available: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/spectacled-bear/. Last accessed 17th April 2016....