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ANIMAL HANDLING

When handling animals,  always remember to approach them in a confident and relaxed manner. Animals should be handled as regularly as possible to help reduce stress and to allow the animals to get used to you.

It is important to undergo training if you are going to restrain an animal for a procedure, as some techniques require a lot of practice and you may make a mistake if you are unfamiliar with the methods whilst trying to perform a procedure.

Techniques vary from species to species; other factors such as the size, weight, age, and temperament of the animal are considered when selecting the method of restraint.

Handling methods may differ between handlers. For instance, some handlers may be able to lift a 5-kg rabbit with little effort, whereas some others may find it quite heavy to pick up and will therefore probably not be able to restrain it using the same method. There are also different techniques for normal handling and sexing of the animal and for transferring it from one cage to the next, as opposed to restraining or handling sick animals.

Injection and blood collection are the most common procedures that research personnel perform on animals, and these techniques require knowledge of general handling of animals.

HANDLING OF LABORATORY ANIMALS

Laboratory animals are inevitably subjected to human contact throughout their lives, during both husbandry and experiments. The use of appropriate and skilled handling is essential to ensure that animals readily accept or actively seek human contact and procedures are carried out efficiently. If routine handling procedures are aversive, animals are likely to develop anxiety and show exaggerated stress responses when approached.

This is detrimental to animal welfare and will increase the difficulty of handling as animals attempt to avoid contact/restraint and may show defensive aggression. Handling stress can also be a major confounding variable and an unwanted source of variation within and between experiments. Good training in non-aversive handling has benefits for the animal, for the handler and for the reliability of data gained in experiments.

Animals should be approached in a calm and confident manner, avoiding exaggerated or sudden movements, such as waving of the hands and arms. Using soft tones and a quiet voice when talking to animals may help alert them to a non-threatening approach and reinforce a caring attitude in the handler.

Choice of an appropriate method to pick up, carry and/or restrain an animal is perhaps the most crucial aspect of handling. The method needs to be suited to the particular species (see specific recommendations below); any strain or individual differences also need to be taken into account. More anxious strains/individuals may be much slower to habituate to some methods, requiring further training and/or adjustment of handling techniques, until they are calm and have learned that handling is not a threat.

Correct positioning of both the handler and animal is necessary to achieve quick and secure restraint. Animals need to feel secure and to be completely immobile to avoid struggling, which would promote anxiety and could result in injury to the animal or handler. During restraint, the animal should be gripped with just sufficient force to hold it firmly and securely, but not so tightly that it causes discomfort, compromises the animal’s breathing or causes bruising.

It is important to observe the animal’s behaviour during handling as this allows immediate adjustment to keep the animal secure and safe. However, observing the animal’s response on approach and after the animal has been released back into its home environment also provides invaluable information. Anxious animals will often flee from the handler on release and try to evade recapture or, less obviously, they may attempt to hide quietly to avoid attention. By contrast, animals with a positive response to handling are generally curious and will voluntarily approach the handler to investigate and interact. To check the effectiveness of your own handling procedures, try standing motionless for a short period after handling to assess whether animals approach and seek contact.

General principles for animal handling

1. Animals should be approached in a confident and relaxed manner.
2. Animals should be handled regularly to help reduce stress and to calm them down when restraining them for procedures to be performed on them.
3. Most animals have sharp claws and prefer not to be placed on slippery surfaces, so, where possible, use a cage top (for rodents) or a nonslip cover/liner for benches.
4. With practice, most species of animals are easily restrained and handled.
5. There is no one correct method of handling or restraining animals, but the general principle is that it should not cause pain or discomfort to the animal. It should also be comfortable for the handler, especially when the animal is being restrained for an injection, so that the handler is able to concentrate on the injection procedure.
6. It may be obvious, but one basic tip to remember is to keep your fingers away from the mouth of the animal, especially when performing a procedure such as an injection.
7. Many people, while busy concentrating on positioning the needle, forget that their fingers are within easy reach of the mouth of a mouse or rat and hence are bitten.
8. The methods listed below are recommended, although some people may feel more comfortable using slightly different ways to restrain the animals, which is also acceptable.

(a) Scuffing method

This method is commonly used for restraining mouse

1. Restrain the mouse by grasping near the base of its tail.
2. Place the mouse onto a cage top to take advantage of the mouse gripping the top.
3. Grasp the nape of its neck with the forefinger and thumb of the other hand, gathering the loose skin from around the neck (below the head) and back.
4. Ensure that you gather enough skin to prevent the head from turning, while allowing the animal to breathe normally.
5. Place the tail between your ring and little fingers to secure and control the animal. The tail must be secured to prevent the mouse from moving and loosening the grip.
6. The tail can also be held against the palm of the hand.
7. The mouse is now ready for technical manipulation
8. Make sure that you feel comfortable holding the mouse in this position for some time because if you are not comfortable, there is a higher risk of failure.
9. Always use the alternative hand to your writing hand for restraining the mouse.

How to restrain rats

Do not attempt to scruff rats unless you are very experienced, as rats, unlike mice, object strongly and vocally to being scuffed unless they are handled frequently

1. With firm yet gentle pressure, grasp the rat around the thorax with your thumb and middle finger under each of its front legs.
2. With your free index finger still under its leg, grasp the loose skin on the nape of its neck.
3. Take care not to squeeze the rat or apply too much pressure to its diaphragm, as this may result in injury and suffocation.
4. Extend the tail to keep the back straight, preventing the rat from turning around.
5. The animal is now ready for technical manipulation.
6. If you encounter an aggressive rat, you can wear a cloth glove or place a small hand towel around your hand when restraining.
7. Take care when using metal chain gloves, as the rat’s claws can be caught in the links, resulting in injuries to the rat.

Other selected methods for handling lab animals

 (i) Guinea pigs rarely bite, but are very easily frightened and will vocalize and squirm to avoid restraint. The hind limbs must be supported at all times to prevent the animal from injuring its back

(ii)Rabbits are very susceptible to lumbar spinal luxation, resulting in paralysis. It is necessary to support the animal’s hindquarter at all times. Although rabbits seldom bite, they can inflict painful scratches with their hind legs. One way of lifting a rabbit is by grasping the skin over the shoulder with one hand and gently lifting it with the other arm cradling the body, the head nestled in the crook of your arm. Rabbits must never by lifted by the ears.