Biomedical Sciences

This report provides a brief overview of aspects of training nonhuman primates who have been, and continue to be, used in this laboratory. The research context involves applied behavioral studies in which animals are trained to perform complex operant behavioral sequences, often in their homecage environment. In such studies, animals have freedom to choose whether to engage in appetitively reinforced behavioral tests that employ neither food deprivation nor fluid management. This background of oper-ant conditioning has provided an insight to, and a context for, animal training both as an adjunct to general laboratory management and as a way to expedite scientific pro-cedures. Thus, training has potential implications for both well-being and scientific quality, although it must be considered an adjunct to the provision of socialization with conspecifics in high quality diverse housing systems and not as an alternative to such provision. The importance of discussion and consideration of alternative proce-dures cannot be overemphasized. This article describes practical experience gained over more than 20 years in the training of nonhuman primates to cooperate with scientific procedures in an ap-plied biomedical research setting. A number of techniques and approaches will be described that exemplify the culture in which the work is conducted. The work of this laboratory has involved applied research in behavioral phar-macology and toxicology. The provision of high quality, healthy animals from in house colonies of marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) and rhesus monkeys (Macac