When I started watching a video series titled "How to Make Your Animals Happy," I was a little skeptical. The instructor's emphasis on animal emotions didn't seem scientific to me, and maybe too anthropomorphic. Whether animals experience human-like emotional states is difficult to prove in a lab. But anyone that has seen a cat purring while curled in an owner's lap or a dog wagging their tail so hard that their whole body wriggles understands exactly what those animals are feeling: happiness. So I decided to give the course a chance and discovered that a lens of emotional awareness is important for understanding the science of behavior. The discussion of fear was particularly interesting.
Animals have innate fears like pain, loud noises, sudden movement, or loss of control. These are essential for survival - a rabbit that doesn't flee when they spot a fast-moving silhouette won't last long in the wild. Animals also have learned fears. A travel crate, not particularly scary on its own, may become associated with a painful prick at the vet. Now the crate itself may elicit a fear response because the animal has learned that it predicts pain, an innate fear.
This is where the science really amazed me. The fear learning process is not absolute. Other factors, like prior experiences with the crate, will affect the animal's feelings toward the object. Let's look at an experiment conducted with mice:
In the first scenario, a mouse was transferred to a new cage they had never seen before and a mild shock was applied to their feet. After that unpleasant experience, the mouse returned to their home cage. Later, the mouse was brought back to the training cage. No shock was delivered, but the mouse showed a high fear response, measured by their freezing behavior. On the mouse's third visit to the cage, they continued to freeze fearfully, but to a lesser degree.
In a second scenario, a mouse was first introduced to a new cage where nothing happened. On the second visit, the mouse received a shock. Then on its third visit to the cage, the mouse only showed mild signs of freezing even though it experienced the same shock as the mouse in the first scenario. Because the mouse had prior neutral exposure to the cage, it showed less fear after a negative experience. Isn't that wild?!
Now let's dream up a third scenario that was not tested in this experiment.
What if during the mouse's first time in the new cage, he found a big slice of tasty cheese? Yum! Now the mouse's first experience is overwhelmingly positive - not just neutral. The shock is applied on their next visit. What would be their response on their third visit? We can't say for sure, but I would bet on a pretty low fear response.
What does that mean for making our our animals less fearful - and therefore more happy? This experiment showed that one way to reduce fear in their lives is to introduce them to new objects and environments before they become scary. If you get a new dog, take them to the vet office before your first appointment. Meet the staff, eat some yummy treats, play with a favorite toy. Experiencing the office as a neutral or really fun place to be will (in theory) make future appointments less scary.
When I adopted my rabbit Wally, crating was one of the first behaviors we practiced. I wanted to make sure that he saw the crate as a positive place where he would get lots of treats. Now when I need to transport him for a weekend at Mom and Dad's or a trip to the vet, he readily hops in. (Though after a particularly scary vet visit, he needed a few days to trust the crate again.)
We go through the same process with the raptors at the Museum. We gradually introduce new experiences to keep their first exposure positive. If Carson met a rambunctious group of 3rd graders on her first visit to the Museum's classroom, it would be like the mouse in scenario A who was shocked on its first time in the new cage. She would likely be terrified and wouldn't want to enter the classroom again.
Instead, we practice visiting the classroom (with lots of rat or quail snacks!) before the Museum opens for the day when no one is around. Then maybe we introduce one or two familiar staff members in the room. Next we might practice with a few quiet adult visitors, then single families with children. For her first program, I would choose one scheduled in November or April when there would be a smaller audience before introducing her to a large crowd during a program in July (in a normal year without a pandemic!).
This process takes time, but it gives her a chance to experience new stimuli without pushing her into a fearful state, making her more resilient for when something scary happens in the future.
For more information about animal training and emotions, check out this great article, "Animal trainers: take animal emotions into consideration!"
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