Effect of enlarged cage space and access to earthen floor on locomotor and digging activity of blue foxes

Abstract

The experiment was carried out in order to clarify rebound effect of different-sized wire-mesh cages and access to an earthen floor on activity, floor preference and digging motivation in adult male blue foxes (Alopex lagopus). The experimental set-up employed a construction in which the solitary animal spent the first 2 weeks in a small, raised wire-mesh floored cage (80 cm long x 105 cm wide x 70 cm high). Thereafter, cage length was enlarged from 80 to 120 cm for a further 2 weeks and then to 240 cm. Finally, the fox also had free access to an earthen floor cage at ground level (80 cm long x 105 cm wide x 70 cm high). The behaviour of each experimental animal was video-recorded for 240 hours in each housing option. The results showed that the amount of locomotor activity did not significantly increase despite enlarged cage space and access to the earthen floor. Seventy five % of activity bouts were no longer than 6 minutes. The shortest bouts were observed in large cage with access to an earthen floor. Foxes significantly preferred a raised wire-mesh floor to an earthen floor at ground level. Provision of an earthen floor did not motivate foxes to dig.