Table 1.
Study group design
| Treatment Group (abbreviation)a | Housing Type | Handling Frequency | Handling Methods (Figure 1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A (So/W/Et) | Pair | Weekly | Encircling of torso (standard thoracic hold) |
| B (Si/D/Et) | Single | Daily | Encircling of torso |
| C (Si/W/Et) | Single | Weekly | Encircling of torso |
| D (Si/W/Tu) | Single | Weekly | Tunnel |
| E (Si/W/Pg) | Single | Weekly | Protective glove |
| F (Si/W/Wy) | Single | Weekly | Soft, absorbent paper towel (Wypall) |
| G (Si/W/Ti) | Single | Weekly | Tickling followed by encircling of torso |
a
So/W/Et, socially housed, handled weekly via encircling the thorax; Si/D/Et, singly housed, handled daily via encircling the thorax; Si/W/Et, singly housed, handled weekly via encircling the thorax; Si/W/Tu, singly housed, handled weekly via a tunnel; Si/W/Pg, singly housed, handled weekly using a protective glove; Si/W/Wy, singly housed, handled weekly using a Wypall; Si/W/Ti, singly housed, handled weekly and tickled.