Page 166 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

138 7 The Art of ‘Active’ Training

VetBooks.ir the trainer reinforces each approximation of injection. He has also been hand‐injected and
immobilised, but he always returns to his
increased pressure. After a few repetitions
(approximately four or five) at an intensity of
stressful experiences. There are many more
level four the animal should begin to under- trainers for more injection training after these
stand reinforcement is contingent on pres- examples of animals trained to voluntarily
sure at level four. This is when the trainer receive injections and return immediately for
should reduce the pressure to about level one more training. Most often these success sto-
and wait for the animal to lean‐in to apply ries are associated with high trust accounts,
pressure on the stick. This allows the animal empowered animals, and strong reinforce-
to gain control of the pressure and the trainer ment history.
can selectively reinforce successive approxi-
mations of increased pressure that the ani- 7.4.5 Blood Draw Behaviour
mal puts on the stick.
Introduce the syringe only when the ani- Training an animal to participate in blood
mal is putting pressure on the stick at a level draw behaviour is similar to teaching an ani-
six or seven, and the animal’s body is up mal to accept an injection. However, with
against the barrier. It’s important to show the blood draw training there is often a need to
syringe to the animal in the same way the shave the hair from the injection site.
stick behaviour was shaped earlier. The ani- Desensitising an animal to electric clippers
mal will quickly learn to generalise the lean‐ can be more challenging than teaching an
in behaviour to the needless syringe and the injection, however, the shaping process is the
trainer can shape increased pressure to seven same. Counterconditioning the fear response
or eight. Some keepers add a step at this with incrementally closer approach of the
point and use a paper clip, ballpoint pen, or clippers is a good approach. Each approxi-
other semi sharp object to help generalise the mation should be associated with a high
behaviour to sensations other than the force value reinforcer. The keepers at Cheyenne
of the needless syringe. Blunted needles have Mountain zoo taught their Grizzly bear
also been used but can be dangerous as they (Ursus arctos horribilis) to voluntarily put
are more likely to penetrate the skin causing its foot through a door in the training panel
a higher level of pain and significant setback and accept its foot being shaved. They then
in the training. It is important to keep in taught it to accept scrubbing with an alcohol
mind that the animal creates the pressure, swab, then to voluntarily participate in blood
not the trainer. Finally, the goal is for the draws from the top of its foot whilst remain-
amount of discomfort associated with the ing in position calmly throughout the proce-
pressure the animal puts on the needleless dure. These behaviours are performed
syringe or other objects should be greater routinely at the on‐exhibit training wall in
than the discomfort of the needle during the view of the guests.
actual injection. Many animals, especially primates, are
With clear contingencies and reinforcing taught to put their arm through a sleeve and
consequences there are few limits to what an hold onto an object such as a peg or bolt at
animal can accomplish with injection train- the far end of the sleeve. Holding the peg
ing. Trainers at Denver Zoo taught their Titi gives the animal a target to hold and helps
monkey (Paralouatta Aureipalatii) to accept stabilise the arm. A veterinarian can then
insulin injections, and he has performed the access the animal’s arm through a small
behaviour fluently twice a day for the past four opening at the top of the sleeve. A critical
years. An Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) behaviour in this sequence is the long dura-
at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo took his painful tion hold of the peg. Some trainers reinforce
rabies vaccination and walked away only the peg‐holding behaviour then provide mul-
to come right back for another vaccination tiple treats with no particular behavioural