Update – 10 April 2019: Check out the link to the episode featuring the stars from Te Puna Kararehe – our Animal Behaviour and Husbandry Centre (our story on the new centre is available on the Nest here).
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Bertha, Irene and Della were the stars of the show when Fanimals came to Unitec to film for one of its new, regular segments on “Working with Animals”. Bertha and Irene are 18-month-old, very chatty Brown Shaver hens who love working out at ‘ChookFit’ while Della is a short-haired, rather rotund guinea pig who loves her food and could probably do with a bit of exercise.
The other stars of the show were Dr Kristie Cameron, Lecturer in Animal Behaviour Science and Husbandry, and third year Bachelor of Applied Sciences student Zaimah Begum-Diamond. 
Dr Cameron and Zaimah worked in tandem to show Fanimals’ field director Carolyn Sylvester how Bertha and Irene have been trained to do a mini obstacle course involving walking around a skittle and pecking a xylophone on the sound of a click; and how Della can walk speedily up a raised ramp set at different heights to get to her dandelion leaf lunch.
Their accomplishments are the result of a year-long piece of research on guinea pigs and their abilities to work for food and teaching behaviours to chickens so that Level 7 students can understand the theory and application of learning.
“Teaching the students using the hens and guinea pigs has been extremely rewarding and motivating in terms of coming up with ideas for helping people train their animals”, said Dr Cameron. “It improves our knowledge and ultimately the welfare of animals in our community.”
The filming took place in the Behaviour Analysis space of the new and improved Unitec animal unit located in Buildings 150-159.
Fanimals is an animal show for children which screens on TV2. The Unitec piece is due to air early next year.
Wonderful stuff Kristie & Zaimah!