Category Archives: Uncategorized

Early Social Isolation Detrimentally Affects Zebrafish

Developmental Social Isolation affects adult behavior, social interaction, and dopamine metabolite levels in zebrafish – Shams et al. 2017 Introduction Methods Results Discussion

Animal personality and social niches

Animal personality due to social niche specialization – Bergmueller & Taborsky, 2010 Definitions The evolution of animal personality The intra-specific ecological niche The social environment: a key factor for personality evolution Social conflict generating consistent individual differences Social conflict generating behavioural correlations Adaptive individual differences caused by developmental plasticity Social experience affecting the development ofContinue reading “Animal personality and social niches”

Social stress on body and behaviour (mainly mammals)

Animal models of social stress: effects on behavior and brain neurochemical systems – Blanchard et al. 2001 This paper mainly focused on the effects of social stress, specifically victory and defeat amongst dominant and subordinate conspecifics. This paper didn’t really relate to reptiles so this post was shorter than most and only includes what IContinue reading “Social stress on body and behaviour (mainly mammals)”

Hognoses Play Dead-Burghardt, Greene 1988

Predator simulation and duration of death feigning in neonate hognose snakes – Burghardt and Greene, 1988 Hognose snakes have a tendency to display a wide range of defensive behaviours that include puffing, hissing, coiling, striking, flattening, and playing dead. Playing dead includes flipping over and sticking their tongue out while releasing a noxious odour toContinue reading “Hognoses Play Dead-Burghardt, Greene 1988”

Komodo Dragons- Bite/Venom > Bacteria

ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC BACTERIOLOGY OF THE SALIVA AND GINGIVA FROM 16 CAPTIVE KOMODO DRAGONS ( VARANUS KOMODOENSIS): NEW IMPLICATIONS FOR THE “BACTERIA AS VENOM” MODEL – Goldstein et al. 2013 Introduction: Komodo dragons have mandibular venom glands that are attached to their teeth which aid in killing prey. The analysis of the venom had shownContinue reading “Komodo Dragons- Bite/Venom > Bacteria”

sheds, shit and blood – observing snake stress markers

Stress in wild and captive snakes: quantification, effects and the importance of management – Waeyenberge et al. 2018 Introduction: Stress responses can be seen in all vertebrates and snakes are not the exception. Stressors are known to cause the subject to have a lack of control over the situation by adding a component of uncertainty.Continue reading “sheds, shit and blood – observing snake stress markers”

Enrichment and Population Recovery

The value of enrichment to reintroduction success- Reading et al. 2013 Introduction: Environmental enrichment is defined as an animal husbandry principle that enhances the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli needed for optimal psychological and physiological well being. Animals that are raised for release need to a wide rangeContinue reading “Enrichment and Population Recovery”

Neurology to Physiology

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Placebo Effects: Concepts, Predictions, and Physiology – Geuter et al. 2107 Introduction: This paper looks at the effectiveness of sham treatments/placebos and the manner in which they affect the physiological mechanisms related to the benefits they cause. A cool way they phrase this is by saying “How does the central nervousContinue reading “Neurology to Physiology”