Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Jan;79(1):1-15.
doi: 10.1002/ajp.22485. Epub 2015 Sep 30.

Pair housing of Macaques: A review of partner selection, introduction techniques, monitoring for compatibility, and methods for long-term maintenance of pairs

Melissa A Truelove  1 , Allison L Martin  1   2 , Jaine E Perlman  1 , Jennifer S Wood  1 , Mollie A Bloomsmith  1
Affiliations
Review

Pair housing of Macaques: A review of partner selection, introduction techniques, monitoring for compatibility, and methods for long-term maintenance of pairs

Melissa A Truelove et al. Am J Primatol. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Pair housing of macaques has become a widely implemented compromise between meeting the social needs of the monkeys and allowing for their use in biomedical research. While beneficial to the animals, pair housing can provide challenges for those caring for them. Drawing from both scientific literature and direct experience, this paper provides a review of practical aspects of pair housing including partner selection, pairing methodologies, staff education, and equipment considerations. Recommendations include selecting a pairing method appropriate to the facility and the individual animals being paired, educating staff on social behavior, and establishing a pair monitoring program to facilitate long-term pair maintenance. Assessment of behavior is essential in determining the compatibility of new pairs and in identifying established pairs that may need interventions to enhance their long-term compatibility. The pair housing program at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center is described as one model of a successful program. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22485, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: captive social management; pairing; socialization; welfare.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Abney DM, Toscano JE, Poor LL, Moomaw HA. 2014. Successful social housing of adult male cynomolgus macaques with similar body weights. American Journal of Primatology 76:86.
    1. Albanese K 2015. View boxes and C-tunnels: visual enrichment for non-human primates. Enrichment Record. Available online at: http://enrichmentrecord.com/view-boxes-and-c-tunnels-visual-enrichment-f... [Accessed 8 April 2015].
    1. American Society of Primatologists (ASP). 2015. Social housing references. Available online at: https://asp.org/welfare/socialhousingreferences.cfm [Cited 27 March 2015].
    1. Animal Welfare Regulations (AWR). 2008. 9 CFR 3.
    1. Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC). 2011a. Frequently Asked Questions. Social Housing and Social Experience. Available online at: https://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/faq_landing.cfm#C6 [Accessed 7 August 2015].

LinkOut - more resources