First Prosimian Husbandry Workshop 2009 - Cleveland Metroparks ...

Comment (Kris Arnold): We have trouble with a lemur that does not want to touched. We worked on
her not fleeing and eventually were able to help inject Depo-provera- every 45 hours.
Case study (Cyndi Griffin): We had a diabetic aggressive individual. We tried meds and diet
modification and realize they had to start insulin injection. We took a piece of plexiglass with a hole in
the middle and animal was to trained to put arm through the hole and touch the dowel rod. She began
to target to PVC. We had to delineate the hole in the plexiglass. The target kept moving and then
phased out target stick. She would be injected in the shoulder. She wouldn’t hold for very long and
fruit was removed from diet so it became an important reinforcer. We tried saline first and she never
refused an injection. This female died and then a diabetic macaque was trained to hold a PVC pipe for
injection. We attached PVC to mesh with four holes and zip ties. Having a grip bar at the end of the
tube is helpful.
Zoos that injection train Mesker Park, Busch Gardens, Indianapolis Zoo and Happy Hollow Zoo.
Comment (Desiree Haneman): Depo stings more than other injections.
Comment (Julie Taylor): Ringtails may be tougher than other species. How long did it take for Depo
training?
Answer (Kris Arnold): After 2 weeks of desensitization we were able to inject.
Moderator (Megan Elder): Start introducing syringes outside of holding early on in animal’s
development.
Comment (Kris Arnold): We blunted our needle for desensitization.
Question: What gage?
Comment (Kris Arnold): We use larger gages with apes.
Moderator (Megan Elder): The smaller the needle size the harder it is.
Comment (Dawn Stone and Julie Izold): We provided a top of a pineapple while injecting them.
Question: How are diabetic individuals being monitored?
Comment (Cyndi Griffin): I was doing by collecting fructosamine while restrained.
Comment (Laura Suski): Don’t get discouraged because type of species may dictate how long it takes
to train them.
Question (Adrienne Saunders): Has anyone tried injection training with a loris?
Answer (Kathleen Milk): I was starting with the loris in a howdy, but there are no squeeze cages small
enough for a loris. She needs to be able to see what is going on.
Question (Julie Taylor): Do maintenance departments make squeeze cages?
Answer (Desiree Haneman): We have a company that makes really good squeeze cages.
Comment (Lynne Villers.): An animal may seem to have picked up on a behavior, but two weeks later
it may seem like they have never learned that behavior.
Response: You can apply operant conditioning in what you do every day.
Comment (Karen Weisenseel): You can create a plywood plunger for a simple squeeze.
Question (Briana Evarts.): Is it possible to give fluid therapy?
Comment (Julie Taylor): Its best to use a butterfly catheter.
Question (Monica Mogilewsky): Has anyone used training to minimize aggression and introductions?
Case study (Sabrina Squillari): We are sending young gorillas to Calgary. We would start training
them next to each other. During the introductions, we kept training and distracted aggression.
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