The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis)
McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) are two critically endangered species of fresh water turtles originating from Asia. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the two species of aquatic turtles responded to food enrichment, if feed enr...
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| Formato: | H2 |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés sueco |
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SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231)
2017
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| Materias: |
| _version_ | 1855571628928270336 |
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| author | Johansson, Erika |
| author_browse | Johansson, Erika |
| author_facet | Johansson, Erika |
| author_sort | Johansson, Erika |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) are two critically endangered species of fresh water turtles originating from Asia. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the two species of aquatic turtles responded to food enrichment, if feed enrichment could reduce the stereotypic behaviour displayed by the McCord’s Snake-necked turtles and if behavioural signs associated to good welfare increased in response to food enrichment. There are many different definitions of animal welfare. In this study, emphasis was put on the importance to look at species-specific behaviours and the response of the individual when assessing welfare. Few enrichment studies have been made on reptiles when compared to mammals. Two types of enrichments were used and evaluated through direct observation with focal sampling and video observation in this study. The enrichment, “The Egg”, was a dog toy designed to contain treats, which could fall out of the toy when the animal manipulated it physically. The other enrichment was an automatic feeder, which expelled small amounts of feed multiple times during the one-hour long observations. Behavioural changes varied between individuals. On a group level, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the stereotypic behaviour “swim against glass” for the Vietnamese pond turtles. The behaviour was performed at longer durations when enrichments were used compared to normal feeding. A reduction of the stereotypic behaviour was seen in the McCord’s snake-necked turtles when “The Egg” was used. The automatic feeder produced a decrease in foraging behaviour and increased stereotypic-, aggressive- and same-sex sexual behaviour for multiple individuals. More individuals displayed behavioural changes indicative of good welfare when “The Egg” was used compared to when the automatic feeder was used. |
| format | H2 |
| id | RepoSLU10045 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Inglés swe |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publishDateSort | 2017 |
| publisher | SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231) |
| publisherStr | SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231) |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU100452017-09-08T23:15:07Z The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) Foderberiknings beteendepåverkan på sköldpaddor i fångenskap : En observationsstudie av McCord’s ormhalssköldpadda (Chelodina mccordi) och Vietnamesisk dammsköldpadda (Mauremys annamensis) Johansson, Erika Chelodina mccordi food enrichment Mauremys annamensis reptile behaviour turtle welfare foderberikning beteende hos reptiler sköldpadda välfärd McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) are two critically endangered species of fresh water turtles originating from Asia. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the two species of aquatic turtles responded to food enrichment, if feed enrichment could reduce the stereotypic behaviour displayed by the McCord’s Snake-necked turtles and if behavioural signs associated to good welfare increased in response to food enrichment. There are many different definitions of animal welfare. In this study, emphasis was put on the importance to look at species-specific behaviours and the response of the individual when assessing welfare. Few enrichment studies have been made on reptiles when compared to mammals. Two types of enrichments were used and evaluated through direct observation with focal sampling and video observation in this study. The enrichment, “The Egg”, was a dog toy designed to contain treats, which could fall out of the toy when the animal manipulated it physically. The other enrichment was an automatic feeder, which expelled small amounts of feed multiple times during the one-hour long observations. Behavioural changes varied between individuals. On a group level, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the stereotypic behaviour “swim against glass” for the Vietnamese pond turtles. The behaviour was performed at longer durations when enrichments were used compared to normal feeding. A reduction of the stereotypic behaviour was seen in the McCord’s snake-necked turtles when “The Egg” was used. The automatic feeder produced a decrease in foraging behaviour and increased stereotypic-, aggressive- and same-sex sexual behaviour for multiple individuals. More individuals displayed behavioural changes indicative of good welfare when “The Egg” was used compared to when the automatic feeder was used. McCord’s ormhalssköldpadda (Chelodina mccordi) och Vietnamesisk dammsköldpadda (Mauremys annamensis) är två kritiskt hotade arter av medelstora sötvattens sköldpaddor med ursprung i Asien. Syftet med studien var att undersöka sköldpaddornas beteendeförändring vid foderberikning, minska ormhalssköldpaddornas stereotypa simmande mot inhägnadens glasvägg samt utvärdera om det skedde en beteende förändring som kunde indikera en ökad djurvälfärd. Det finns många olika definitioner av ordet djurvälfärd. Vid välfärdsbedömningen som gjordes i den här studien så lades vikt vid djurslagsspecifika beteenden och beteendeförändringar hos individen. Ett fåtal berikningsstudier är gjorda på reptiler i jämförelse med däggdjur. Två olika sorters berikning användes i den här studien, de utvärderades genom direkt observation av fokaldjur samt genom videoobservation. Berikningen som kallades ”Ägget” var en hundleksak utformad för att innehålla foder som kunde ramla ut när djuret fysiskt manipulerade den. Den andra berikningen var en foderautomat som delade ut små portioner av pellets flera gånger under de entimmes långa observationerna. Beteendeförändringarna skilde sig mellan individerna. På grupp-nivå ficks en signifikant skillnad (p<0.05) hos de Vietnamesiska dammsköldpaddorna av det stereotypa beteendet ”simma mot glaset”. En minskning av samma stereotypa beteende sågs hos de två McCord’s ormhalssköldpaddorna när berikningen ”Ägget” användes. Foderautomaten minskade födosöksbeteende och ökade stereotypt, aggressivt och samkönat sexuellt beteende för flera individer. Fler individer visade beteendeförändringar som indikerade en god djurvälfärd när ”Ägget” användes jämfört med när foderautomaten användes. SLU/Dept. of Animal Environment and Health (until 231231) 2017 H2 eng swe https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/10045/ |
| spellingShingle | Chelodina mccordi food enrichment Mauremys annamensis reptile behaviour turtle welfare foderberikning beteende hos reptiler sköldpadda välfärd Johansson, Erika The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) |
| title | The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) |
| title_full | The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) |
| title_fullStr | The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) |
| title_short | The impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : An observational study of McCord’s snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) and Vietnamese pond turtle (Mauremys annamensis) |
| title_sort | impact of food enrichment on the behaviour of turtles in captivity : an observational study of mccord’s snake-necked turtle (chelodina mccordi) and vietnamese pond turtle (mauremys annamensis) |
| topic | Chelodina mccordi food enrichment Mauremys annamensis reptile behaviour turtle welfare foderberikning beteende hos reptiler sköldpadda välfärd |