The effect of the presence of a herd mate on explorative behaviour in guinea pigs when presented with a novel stimulus
DOI : https :// doi . org / 10.56496 / TIRS2317
Jess Atkins , RVN
London Vet Specialists
ENVELOPE jessica . atkins @ live . com
Jess began her career in veterinary nursing in 2002 , in her hometown of Melbourne , Australia . She has worked in a range of settings including first opinion , emergency and exotics . Early in her career , she developed an interest in animal behaviour and completed a certificate in dog behaviour and training . She then ran her own puppy school and provided behavioural first aid sessions . Jess has also completed an advanced diploma in applied animal behaviour and enjoys being able to apply her knowledge in practice , particularly in helping to minimise stress in patients of all species .
ABSTRACT Research has shown that the presence of a herd mate reduces cortisol levels in female guinea pigs when they are placed in an unknown environment . However , limited research exists into the effect of a herd mate on the display of explorative behaviour .
This study looked at a small sample of seven guinea pigs from the same household , which were each taken to a holding pen where they were presented with a novel stimulus , either alone or with the boar from their herd . They were filmed for a period of 6 min and this footage was used to record how much time ( in seconds ) was spent displaying explorative behaviours .
While there were differences between individuals , the presence of the boar correlated positively with increased explorative behaviour in five of the seven females . When the boar was present , explorative behaviours were displayed an average of 1.8 times more often .
Keywords guinea pig , companion , explorative , behaviour , research
28 Veterinary Nursing Journal