Date of Award

2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Cook, Peter

Area of Concentration

Biopsychology

Abstract

Enrichment is the act of providing animals in captivity with stimulation outside of the basic necessities of food, water, and shelter. The study and implementation of enrichment in zoos and aquariums is increasing, but there is still a distinct absence of research on the enrichment needs of invertebrates. Tarantulas and other arthropods are often considered too neurobehaviorally simplistic to need cognitive stimulation, despite evidence of decision making and behavioral syndromes. This study examines the effect of environmental enrichment on the stress behaviors of the tarantula Tliltocatl albopilosus. Though no evidence was found to support the hypothesis that tarantulas in enriched environments experience reduced stress, it was found that individuals that had dug burrows (an ecologically relevant behavior) behaved differently than individuals that had not. It is valuable to consider the moral and ethical implications of the way tarantulas, and invertebrates in general, are excluded from welfare considerations.

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