Animal Training and Care Week 1 Lecture 1 PDF

>> Hello and welcome to animal training and care. To start the course, we're going to review some foundational terms in animal care and habitat maintenance. So animal husbandry is the care and management of the animals. And historically animal husbandry has referred specifically to domesticated anim...

>> Hello and welcome to animal training and care. To start the course, we're going to review some foundational terms in animal care and habitat maintenance. So animal husbandry is the care and management of the animals. And historically animal husbandry has referred specifically to domesticated animals like livestock, poultry, and other farm animals which were raised by humans to produce agricultural products, things like meat, milk, eggs, or fiber like wool. However, the term can also be used more broadly such as for exotic animal husbandry which refers to wild animals living in captivity. So, in general, husbandry is focused on animals living in captivity and the general care and maintenance of those animals. When we look at the kinds of animals living in captivity, these could include small domestic animals, species like cats and dogs which live in our homes. It might also include large domestic animals, species like cows or horses which may live places like farms. Finally, it can also include exotic wild animals, species like tigers or bears which may live in places like zoos or wildlife rescues. Another foundational term is socialization, and socialization is the process by which an individual learns appropriate social behaviors. Animals have a key time in their development in which to undergo socialization. The exact timing differs between species, however socialization must really occur within the first few weeks to months of the animal's life. Animals can be socialized to members of their own species, also known as conspecifics. And they can also be socialized to members of other species such as humans. Both domestic dogs and cats must receive socialization early in their development in order to learn not to fear humans. They're not born already socialized to people. Because socialization is a life experience, levels of socialization will differ within individuals of a species. Another foundational term is habitat. A habitat describes the location that provides vital resources for the survival of the organism. These vital resources include access to food, shelter, and water. Habitats may be wild and unmanaged by humans or they may be man-made and humans are solely responsible for their maintenance. A foundational term we will use a lot in this class is animal welfare. An animal's welfare can be measured by their ability to engage in natural species specific behavior. Let's look at pigs for an example. Rooting is an important and natural food-getting behavior for pigs. In rooting behavior, a pig pushes their snout into the ground and displaces substrate in order to obtain food and explore their environment. In the wild, pigs will root in leaf litter or soil. So in order to promote this behavior in captive pigs, we can use animal enrichment. Enrichment is an addition to the animal's environment in order to promote natural behavior. There are several different types of enrichment. The first is sensory enrichment, which involves engaging the animal's five senses through different scents, sounds, and substrates. Another type is feeding enrichment, which promotes natural feeding and hunting behavior. Social enrichment can also be used with social animals and involves enrichment with social partners. An example of this may be volunteering to spend time with shelter dogs who may be more deprived of social interaction than pet dogs. Another type of enrichment is cognitive enrichment, which involves providing puzzles or manipulative items that can stimulate the animal's problem-solving abilities. Finally, environmental enrichment include structures and hiding locations for the animal. An example of this might be a box for a shelter cat to hide in or a ledge for a snow leopard to jump onto. Now let's go back to the pig rooting behavior. In order to promote rooting in captive pigs, we must provide appropriate substrates in their habitat. This may be something as simple as providing hay in their habitat. Supplementing a pig's habitat with rootable material engages their senses and it allows them to engage in these important food-getting and investigation behaviors. When considering what type of enrichment to give an animal, first consider what behaviors are natural to that species and then examine what forms of enrichment will serve as an outlet for that behavior. So to wrap-up this talk, we have explored many of the foundational terms related to animal care and habitat maintenance. This information can be applied to find the best ways that we can construct and maintain captive animal habitats. First, consider what behaviors that animal exhibits in the wild. For example, scratching is a natural behavior for tigers so scratching surfaces must be placed in the tiger's habitat to promote this important behavior and improve the tiger's welfare. You should also consider the type of animal you are dealing with, either domestic or exotic and that individual animal socialization level. These considerations will help you decide on the material and construction of the habitat. For example, an exotic animal like a tiger can pose a threat to human safety if that animal were to escape or if a human accidentally entered that habitat. So a tiger's habitat is going to need to be made of a sturdy material with high fencing compared to, say, ducks who live on a pond and may pose very little threat to humans. Similarly, the type of animal that you're dealing with will inform the cleaning, feeding, and medical protocols that you'll use.