Hi, my name is Ivan...
I need to know what the abnormal behavior or stereotype is called by a family group of gorillas I'm studying at a zoo.
Both the alpha male and one of the females, somewhat older, eat the mucus very often, whether they are somewhat cooled or in good health.
-What is the name of eating the snot?
- Is it considered abnormal behavior or stereotypy if it is very often, the frequency?
For example, eating bowel movements, is said coprophagia, then ... eat snot?
Thank you very much for everything.
The terminology for the behaviour is mucophagy; whether it is a stereotypic behaviour in this case, or not is what I can't say.
In the wild gorillas graze almost constantly, and in captivity if they don't have access to food consistently throughout the day I've been told they can develop a behaviour of vomiting and then re-ingesting their food. Could this be a different variation of the same stress? I haven't worked with Gorillas myself but heard this from an experienced keeper.
I work with Olive Baboons papio anubis and I noticed that single housed adult males masturbate and lick their semen I wonder if this is also abnormal or stereotypical behavior that can be corrected too.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Statistics
- Survey