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The effect of environmental provisioning on stress levels in captive green anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2023

G Borgmans ,
R Palme ,
A Sannen ,
H Vervaecke  and
R Van Damme
G Borgmans*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
R Palme
Affiliation:
Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
A Sannen
Affiliation:
Ethology & Animal Welfare, Agro- & Biotechnology, HUB-ODISEE University college, Hospitaalstraat, 21, 9100 Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
H Vervaecke
Affiliation:
Ethology & Animal Welfare, Agro- & Biotechnology, HUB-ODISEE University college, Hospitaalstraat, 21, 9100 Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
R Van Damme
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints author: [email protected]
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Abstract

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In response to an increased awareness concerning the welfare of captive animals, several studies have investigated the effect of provisions on stress levels in model species, such as small mammals, birds and fish. In contrast, reptiles have received less attention. Although many reptilian species are becoming increasingly popular in the pet trade and are frequently used as model species in various branches of biology and a number of studies have explored how they react to stress in different contexts (eg social, predatory), little is known about how they react to stress induced by housing conditions or experimental treatments. In this study, we quantified the effect of provision of perches and leaves as refuges (provisioned) on the behaviour, morphology and physiology of the green anole (Anolis carolinensis). Our results showed that increased or decreased structural complexity of the cage had no effect on body mass, tail-base width, heterophil to lymphocyte ratios (H/L ratios), brightness, body colour, behaviour and faecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) levels for both males and females in the experimental treatments (provisioned or deprived situation). Our study animals did score very highly for several stress-indicating variables in the three weeks preceding the experiments — suggesting that they had experienced considerable stress during capture, transport and temporary housing in the pet store.

Keywords

animal welfarecaptivityenvironmental provisioninggreen anolereptilesstress
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , February 2018 , pp. 35 - 46
Copyright
© 2018 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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