Traditionally mice have been picked up uh via their tails. Mice that were transferred in the tunnel were far more exploratory during the cognitive task. Therefore, it is important to know whether such protocols affect the previously-demonstrated positive effects of non-aversive handling methods. During 1-week acclimation to handling and subsequent 1-week oral administration (once per day), voluntary interaction with the experimenter was much greater in mice handled by a tunnel compared to those picked up by the tail. Here we provide practical tips on non-aversive handling, including a webinar, a video tutorial, and the underpinning evidence base. Tail or tunnel? View our video tutorial on the refined mouse handling methods. Tunnel handling has been shown in several studies from around the world to reduce anxiety in mice. Professor Hurst was awarded an OBE for services to animal welfare in the 2020 New Year Honours list. For support with implementing non-aversive handling methods, visit the NC3Rs How to pick up a mouse resource hub. While isoflurane is known to be aversive to mice, the findings of this study suggest that tail handling causes an aversion to the handler that increases the stress associated with repeated procedures such as anaesthesia. Dr Henderson’s work complements findings by other researchers showing that single or repeated scruff restraint, single IP injection, repeated subcutaneous injection, repeated oral gavage and tattooing or ear tagging also do not negate the positive effects of non-aversive handling. These positive behavioural effects persisted even after repeated aversive procedures. The research used ... measures which showed that the tail handled mice were more anxious, depressed and chronically stressed than the tunnel handled mice. Handling stress is a well-recognised source of variation in animal studies that can also compromise the welfare of research animals. Mice were either picked up by the tail or guided into a tunnel, then transferred to the testing arena. The authors conclude that the welfare benefits of tunnel handling are widely applicable. Hand tunneling is typically performed by tunnel miners using pneumatic hand tools to excavate the soils and then installing wood and/or steel supports for tunnels 42” OD or larger. Click here to hire us in your town and check prices - updated for year 2020.. Vole, or Field Mice, or Meadow Mice, as they are called, are usually classified as a pest species because the dig up yards and set up a network of surface tunnels. Read the underpinning research and related papers. Researchers now suggest that cupping a mouse in the hand or carrying it in a small tunnel reduces stress and encourages cooperation. Picking up mice by the tail can compromise their welfare and affect scientific outcomes. Tunnel handling reduced anxiety compared with tail handling. Tunnel handling. As handling mice by a tunnel requires minimal physical contact with the animal, this is likely to be another advantage for less experienced handlers. We evaluated a handling method using tunnels to tame laboratory mice (ICR) in the context of animal welfare and ease of handling. Tunnel handling improves the welfare of mice undergoing repeated procedures Thursday 10 September 2020 New research published in Scientific Reports shows the animal welfare benefits of picking up laboratory mice via a tunnel instead of by the tail persist even … These non-aversive methods also make handling easier for researchers and animal care staff, and enhance mouse performance in behavioural tests. Improving handling techniques for laboratory mice helps reduce stress and anxiety, according to a study published today in the journal ‘Nature Methods’. This is "Jane Hurst - mouse tunnel handling" by NC3Rs on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Read answers to frequently asked questions about tunnel and cup handling. Professor Jane Hurst describes the evidence supporting refined handling techniques and practical tips for implementation. Crucially, the authors found that tunnel handling alleviated the negative behavioural effects of the aversive procedures tested, unlike traditional tail handling. By contrast, mice picked up in a tunnel explored their environment readily, showed a strong interest in the new stimulus, and a clear effect of becoming familiar with it in the consecutive sessions. Mice can then be encouraged to climb into the beaker (Figures 31.3 and 31.4). According to a rating of the ease of handling laboratory mice, a tunnel facilitated mouse handling during acclimation to handling and oral gavage of saline compared to tail handling. It is well established that using handling tunnels or cupped hands in place of picking up mice by the tail improves their welfare. A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We are committed to the proper regulation of the use of animals in scientific research. Henderson and colleagues extended previous work by investigating whether repeated scruff restraint, intraperitoneal (IP) injections and short-duration (five minute) anaesthesia with isoflurane negated the reduction in anxiety-related behaviours associated with tunnel handling. Laboratory mice are routinely handled for husbandry and scientific procedures. Benefits of tunnel handling persist after repeated restraint, injection and anaesthesia. Handling stress is a well-recognised source of variation in animal studies that can also compromise the welfare of research animals. As well as having animal welfare benefits the research, led by Professor Jane Hurst at the University of Liverpool, has shown that picking up mice by the tail can impact on scientific outcomes, with mice handled by tunnel and cupping methods showing improved performance in behavioural tests compared to traditional tail handling. towards the cage wall. Request copies of our mouse handling poster for display in your facility. Tips and strategies for rolling out the refined handling methods in your facility. They observed that BALB/c mice found restraint more stressful than handling alone, and showed evidence of a stronger aversion to IP injections than isoflurane anaesthesia. As prospective prey … If you are the type to use a computer heavily, you face both a high risk for … Although efficiency is a concern for large-scale implementation of novel handling methods, the tunnel method may prove beneficial for sensitive strains or studies requiring indirect handling. Mice quickly habituate to tunnel handling and can subsequently be restrained by the scruff or tail base for procedures or health and welfare assessments without negating the … Many facilities in the UK and internationally have now adopted non-aversive handling methods as part of their everyday practice. To reduce background variation and maximise welfare, methods that minimise handling stress should be developed and used wherever possible. A reel may also serve as means of transfer, as mice like to crawl into the dark tube or climb onto the device. You can then use these tunnels to transfer the mice between cages for things such as cleaning out. Experimental protocols often require mice to undergo repeated procedures that can cause pain or discomfort. Many mice are handled once or twice a week by technicians, and are prone to biting and will scuttle around the cage away from a hand. Download short video clips for use in in-house training. The investment in training should be outweighed by the benefits observed with more reliable behavioural and physiological responses in the mice. Mice are quick to habituate to tunnel handling and can subsequently be restrained by the scruff or tail base for procedures or health and welfare assessments without negating the positive impacts of the non-aversive capture. This study shows that using a tunnel for routine handling reduces anxiety among mice compared to tail handling regardless of prior familiarity with tunnels. A study funded by the NC3Rs explored how handling methods influenced mice’s behavior during cognitive tasks. This can be overcome by handling mice using a tunnel, yet tunnel handling has yet to be widely implemented. The basic way to use these methods is by NOT catching and lifting the animals by the tail, but either handle it in a transparent plastic tube (tunnel handling) or on the palm of one’s hand. The work, led by Dr Lindsay Henderson of Newcastle University, was funded as part of an NC3Rs Skills and Knowledge Transfer award to Dr Johnny Roughan, aimed at testing the reproducibility of non-aversive handling for improving welfare and data precision across several scientific disciplines. The research has since been replicated by other groups, who have shown that the method of handling can affect physiological parameters and behaviour, including the response to reward. According to the MGS, tattooing was not more painful than ear tagging but caused significant tail inflammation and more agitation and anxiety. In addition, using gloved hands to directly handle mice during cage changing is efficient and avoids the ergonomic strain associated with forceps. The FAQs address common misconceptions. Using a tunnel or cupped hand to pick up mice causes less anxiety than traditional tail handling. However, despite clear negative effects on mice's behaviour, tunnel … The researchers showed that mice of all strains and sex developed a consistent voluntary interaction in the ninth daily handling session among all the three handling methods – the tail, home cage tunnel, or "cupped" on open hand . The literature review showed evidence of alternative handling methods sections, such as using tunnels or cupped hands when picking up mice and rats, having positive impacts on animal welfare and consequently possibly on data reliability, when compared to stressful traditional handling methods such as lifting by the tail. This study is the first to validate tunnel handling as a method to reduce the negative welfare effects of repeated isoflurane anaesthesia. Onto the device research has shown that picking up mice by either the cupping or tunnel handling are applicable! 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