Housing and husbandry conditions affect stereotypic behaviour in laboratory gerbils

An artificial burrow was developed which fits into standard laboratory cages and significantly reduces stereotypic digging in gerbils. Also, the causes of bar-chewing were assessed experimentally. Neither the lack of gnawing material, nor the spatial proximity of cage-lid bars and food in the hopper nor the routine husbandry procedure of transferring juvenile gerbils to a fresh cage, but premature separation of juvenile gerbils from their parents before the birth of younger siblings significantly increased bar-chewing.