Getting a handle on rat familiarization: The impact of handling protocols on classic tests of stress in .

Experimenter familiarization with laboratory rodents through handling prior to experimentation is an important practice in neurobehavioral research and is implicated in stress, study variability, and replicability. Unfortunately, different handling protocols have not been thoroughly examined. Determining optimal experimenter familiarization protocols is expected to reduce animal stress and thus improve welfare and data consistency.

The Effects of Rearing in a Shelved Environment on Behavioral and Physiological Markers of Welfare in Rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Early-life experiences are critical modifiers of development. An important component of early-life experience is the nature of maternal interactions, which can be modified by stress. During rearing, mothers are typically allocated to single-level cages where they are readily accessible to pups, a potentially stressful scenario not reflective of nature.