ABSTRACT
Birds, reptiles, terrestrial amphibians, and invertebrates comprise a minority of species used in research, yet they appear with some regularity in animal facilities. The more commonly seen bird species include pigeons, chickens, ducks, finches, and parrots. Regulatory considerations for nontraditional species differ somewhat from those for most laboratory animals. Invertebrates recognized as emerging model organisms include animals as varied as snails, leeches, squid, butterflies, and crickets. Planarians, free-living flatworms, provide a powerful model for regeneration; ants provide a model for social organization and chemical communication; honeybees provide a model for learning memory and behavior; and comb jellies are furthering the understanding of evolution. Anesthesia is used to both immobilize animals for examination and perform procedures that have the potential to cause pain. Clean water must be easily accessible to all birds in the enclosure. Avian nutritional requirements and feeding habits vary widely among species.
