Acclimation

Transportation and introduction of animals into an unfamiliar vivarium are potentially stressful events and may have a detrimental effect on the animals' general health and wellbeing. Most animals benefit from an acclimation period for physiological, psychological, and nutritional stabilization to occur. An acclimation period allows animals time to stabilize in a new environment and promotes both animal welfare and reproducible experimental results.

Upon arrival all animals must receive a basic health assessment before any procedures are performed. This health assessment will be conducted by LARC staff while unboxing animals from transport containers and placing them in new housing cages. To avoid unwanted variations in data and potential complications, all animals should be allowed to acclimate to their new surroundings for a minimum of 48 hours before they undergo any experimental procedures or other manipulations unless immediate use is justified and approved by the IACUC.

Author: S. Garrett
Date: 6-22-2020