Enrichment VS Enriched: What’s the Difference?

Figure 1: A calabar python (Calabaria reinhardtii) interacting with a novel item (freshly cut branches) (Authors own, 2023).

There are those who question whether it is in fact beneficial to reptiles, or reserved only for those with a perceived higher sentient status such as monitor lizards. This however does not have to be the case, all species are motivated to perform behaviours and therefore enrichment items can be designed around ensuring they can perform these needs. One paper showed that leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) when provided with five different types of enrichment (thermal, visual, olfactory, object and feeding) (Bashaw et al., 2016). All of the behaviours were recorded for each of the enrichment types and four behavioural indicators were used (exploratory, species-specific behaviours (thermoregulation and hunting), behavioural diversity and abnormal repetitive behaviours), thermal and feeding enrichment had the best overall reaction, but all of the enrichment types improved welfare and behavioural diversity.

When we think of animal welfare we can break it down to simply a continuum spectrum ranging from ‘a life worth avoiding’ and ‘a life worth living’ (Yeates, 2011). We want to make sure we are providing our reptiles a life they are enjoying, with a balance leaning more towards pleasant emotional experiences than unpleasant ones.

What is Enrichment?

The scientific and behavioural definition of enrichment is the provision of a resource that provides species appropriate challenges that allows appropriate behavioural outlets for motivated actions and stimulation. This can be a permanent feature such as climbing opportunities, hides etc, but also novel and temporary items as well. Although enrichment is a positive thing, it cannot substitute poor welfare or inappropriate housing.

Figure 2: A California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) making use of a humid hide (Authors own, 2023).

Enrichment vs Enriched Environment 

Enrichment is often novel and temporary, cycled out in enrichment plans to stimulate a targeted species typical behaviour. This could be a clutch of pinkie mice offered in a tube to stimulate nest-raiding behaviour in a snake, or a large food item given to a monitor lizard that requires them to rip it up into swallowable pieces.

Remember that enrichment is only enriching for as long as it is novel, after a while novelty wears off and it becomes part of the furniture. It’s our role as keepers to keep it current, fresh and stimulating. 

An enriched environment is made up of the permanent features such as branches, cork tubes, humid hides and retes stacks etc. These allow an animal constant choices to enact a behaviour as part of its day, at any point of a day.   

Figure 3: A Mexican black kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigritis) interacting with climbing opportunities in a enriched environment (Authors own, 2023).

Designing Enrichment

Species within the wild have allotted activity budgets, a certain percentage of their time will be spent finding food, partoling territory, social interactions, sleeping and other forms of behaviour. The species we keep at home will still want to share a similar budget of activity in their daily lives too, and when this is not met frustration and stress occurs leading to inappropriate behaviours from self mutilation, pacing, nose rubbing, glass crawling to name a few. These are known as vacuum activities, where the animal will still carry out the behaviours despite the stimuli not being there (Manning and Dawkins, 2010). In order to design appropriate behavioural outlets you need to ask yourself the three w’s.

What?

What behavioural budget are you aiming to allow the animal to perform and meet. The more time an animal spendings naturally doing a behaviour the more motivated they are to do it. 

Why?

Why are they motivated to carry out this behaviour. Is it vital to their survival in the wild, is it enjoyable. These are things that we can reflect on. Providing outlets to play might not be a survival instinct but it promotes positive emotions and therefore improves welfare. Its also enjoyable for us caretakers to watch and enjoy.

When?

This can be referring to seasonally, is it breeding season, are they nocturnal? We need to understand not only seasonal patterns, but even daily patterns. Putting enrichment in or only having extra exploration time outside of the vivarium only at night for a diurnal bearded dragon will not allow them to enjoy it or make use of the items or activity. 

Enrichment can increase alertness, improve physical conditioning of animals and allow animals to develop better cognitive function. A caution would be, think of safety before adding items, scents or food. Is it toxic? Can they choke or harm themselves on it? Will it cause aggression between co-habbing individuals?

Be sensible.

References

Bashaw, M. J., Gibson, M. D., Schowe, D. M., & Kucher, A. S. (2016). Does enrichment improve reptile welfare? leopard geckos (eublepharis macularius) respond to five types of environmental enrichment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 184, 150-160. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2016.08.003

Enrichment & Animal Welfare. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2023, from https://wildwelfare.org/enrichment-animal-welfare/

Manning, A., & Dawkins, M. S. (2010). An introduction to animal behaviour (5th ed., pp. 238-239). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.

Yeates, J. (2011). Is ‘A life worth living’ a concept worth having? Animal Welfare, 20(3), 397-406. doi:10.1017/s0962728600002955