• Question: Do animals have routine that they do regularly?

    Asked by alicegd to Jo, Kevin, Valeria on 21 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 21 Jun 2012:


      Most certainly, we call these rhtyhms and they are widespread across the animal kingdom. It’s by keeping to these routines that animals like birds know when to migrate and when to start preparing for hibernation or mating season etc!

      In domestic species, it’s quite common for animals that have went through the same routine with their owner for years to begin to expect it to happen. My cat Tigger back home for example expects to be fed at 5pm and to be let oout at 9am etc and if it doesn;t happen she gets confused!

      Birds that ave been isolated for life in labs have been shown to start to want to move south when migration time comes! So a lot of routines are built in so to speak!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 21 Jun 2012:


      It is very important for animals to have a routine, especially domesticated animals, if their routines are disturbed it can often cause them some distress, if I leave my dog longer than usual he will chew all sorts of things as a coping mechanism.

      For wild animals their routine may be checking for predators or going out for foraging, or preparing for hibernation. Routines are important.

      Humans also need a routine, even if we don’t realise it we have routines and can feel uncomfortable if our routine is disturbed.

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