UConn Animal Behavior Class

Animal Behavior class taught by Dr. @SarahKnutie - Tweets about #undergraduate #STEM students and their work in the class.

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

I asked my @UConnBehavior students what they learned from #BlackMammalogists Week! 🐺🐘🦏🦌🦇🦡

Check out the thread 🧵 below 👇

Thanks to all the amazing role models from this week.

https://t.co/06AGs1tZ4C

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

This is the barred owl, commonly found in the woodlands of Indiana. Me and a group of 3 other owl enthusiasts collected data to see if these owls have a specific preference to eat or feed their offspring a certain prey. Interested in watching owls too?: https://t.co/l6SDecMV7t

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Ever heard of coprophagia or coprophila? A common stereotypic behavior seen in primates and monkeys in captivity. Stereotypic behaviors are unnatural, repetitive behaviors seen in a wide range of animals in captivity. Learn more at https://t.co/smcbiPP00j

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

End of thread 🔚🧵🐜☘️
#uconneeb #eebclasses #uconnbehavior

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

🐜 are everywhere! For our animal behavior group project, we were interested to know why ants are more active in the summer and not as much in winter. Does the variation in external temperature affect ant activity? Do ants leave the anthill more at colder or warmer temperatures?

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

For the anthills built on soil, # of ants leaving an anthill increased as the temperature increased but no such significant correlation was observed for the anthills built on cement! So, we rejected our prediction. ❌

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

https://t.co/8HKjycZUtD

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

I did my "That animal does what?" project on the mating behavior of hermaphroditic (⚥) marine flatworms! In a battle to become the father, flatworms use penis-fencing to stab their mate and inject sperm while avoiding being inseminated!
#uconneeb #eebclasses #uconnbehavior

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

-The male fertilizes the eggs for 24 days until the eggs are mature enough to leave and can have up to 2,000 babies! Through this process, the male seahorse is able to know that the offspring are theirs.

Image Source: https://t.co/XpLRj0S5Qa

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

For my individual project, "Animal does what?!", I decided to do research on the mating behavior and birthing behavior of Seahorses. I wanted to explore the subject as I thought the process is unique, in comparison to other animals.

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

- After they've mated and the female is ready, the female transfers her eggs using a tube, called the ovipositor, to the male's brooch pouch. In this pouch, the eggs will be able to receive all the nutrients and oxygen to survive and grow.

Image Source: https://t.co/5YBKMgrBt9

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Lastly, you might wonder why I chose this topic, and there is one short answer: Nemo.

/END THREAD #uconneeb #eebclasses #uconnbehavior

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Hello everyone! I decided to conduct my “That Animal Does What?!?” project on sequential hermaphroditism in clownfish!

A short thread🧵:

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

This behavior is a unique mating procedure as clownfish are predated by many species, so they cannot easily roam and mate. Instead, when a female matriarch dies, the dominant male changes their sex to become the new dominant female.

Image source: https://t.co/qFTv3Cq9PX

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

/END THREAD #uconneeb #eebclasses #uconnbehavior

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Hello everyone! My group decided to study Giant Pandas! Coming into the project, we knew that pandas spend most of their time sleeping or eating bamboo, but we wanted to take things a step further.

A short thread: 🧵

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Our prediction was rejected because we thought the cub would have higher activity levels, but in actuality, the mother had increased activity levels. This result is likely due to the time she spent caring for her cub (i.e., nursing).

Image Source: https://t.co/Is3fRi2uk9

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Source: https://t.co/Is3fRi2uk9

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Kyra, Arianna, and I decided to observe the behavior of Giant Pandas. More specifically, we observed if there was a difference in sleep patterns and activity behaviors between the mother Panda and her cub.

[UConn Animal Behavior Class @UConnBehavior]

Here, we have the mother (Mei Xiang) and the cub (Xiao Qi Ji) sleeping in their enclosure.