| The
Environmental Husbandry Manual Click here for CONTENTS Page No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the author - For contact details see about the author |
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Terminology of Evaluation Forms
Each method is detailed separately, and keepers have commented on the practicality and value of the method. The following categories were used:Individual Enrichment Techniques - Name of the Method |
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| Method | A brief description of the design (size, location), and implementation. | |
| Species | The species or groups (for example, all monkeys) that the device has been used with. The evaluations of the device are based on the animals mentioned in this section. | |
| Purpose | The reason for using the method, for example, to provide exercise or novel stimuli, or encourage natural behaviour. | |
| Pro | Any notable good points about the method, including animals with which the device works well, or aspects of husbandry that make the method particularly good. | |
| Con | Any notable bad points about the method, including possible dangers or husbandry problems. | |
| Improvements | Ways the method may work better, for example, by varying location or presentation, or alternative designs. | |
| Comments | Any additional information that may be of use, based upon practical experience of the method. | |
| Frequency of Use | How often the method is in use, for example, constant features, or used daily or once per week, or used constantly for a month then not used for a month. | |
| Ratings | Methods rated out of 10 (High - Good) for four categories. If different sections (birds, reptiles, etc.) use a method, separate ratings are given in order of (Contributed By - see below on this table). | |
| Usefulness | How well the method achieves the purpose it is used for. | |
| Convenience | How easy the method is to use from the point of view of being time consuming or awkward for keepers. | |
| Value For Money | In terms of how much it cost to make or maintain, is the device a good investment and success with the animals. | |
| Range of Users | Proportion of animals using method. If used by a single animal in a group, may rate 1; if most use the device, may rate 6-7. If all animals of all species listed use the device, would rate a 10. | |
| Contributed By | The section or sections providing information about the method are detailed here. If the method varies between sections, each is dealt with separately. A list of individuals who contributed to each section is available in the Acknowledgements section. | |