Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes

On the basis of daily activity in the home cage and the open field test the effect of the internal design and location of cages on the behaviour of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) during a growth period was evaluated. The inclusion of platforms in cages increased the daytime activity of silver foxes in...

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Main Authors: Teppo Rekilä, Leena Ahola, Jaakko Mononen, Mikko Harri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland 1998-01-01
Series:Agricultural and Food Science
Online Access:https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72851
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author Teppo Rekilä
Leena Ahola
Jaakko Mononen
Mikko Harri
author_facet Teppo Rekilä
Leena Ahola
Jaakko Mononen
Mikko Harri
author_sort Teppo Rekilä
collection DOAJ
description On the basis of daily activity in the home cage and the open field test the effect of the internal design and location of cages on the behaviour of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) during a growth period was evaluated. The inclusion of platforms in cages increased the daytime activity of silver foxes in their home cage, but the inclusion of nest boxes did not. Silver foxes housed at the front of the animal barn were less active during the working day and more active in the evening than were animals housed at the rear. The results of the open field test did not differ significantly between animals housed in cages differing in design. This study demonstrates that the behaviour of silver foxes was only minimally affected by the interior environment of the cage, and that attempts to improve housing design should also take the environment outside the cage into account.
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spelling doaj.art-caa5db9cbfa1402fb1b3161cb691e3ff2022-12-21T18:31:26ZengScientific Agricultural Society of FinlandAgricultural and Food Science1459-60671795-18951998-01-0171Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxesTeppo Rekilä0Leena Ahola1Jaakko Mononen2Mikko Harri3University of Kuopio, Department of Applied Zoology and Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 KuopioUniversity of Kuopio, Department of Applied Zoology and Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 KuopioUniversity of Kuopio, Department of Applied Zoology and Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 KuopioUniversity of Kuopio, Department of Applied Zoology and Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 KuopioOn the basis of daily activity in the home cage and the open field test the effect of the internal design and location of cages on the behaviour of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) during a growth period was evaluated. The inclusion of platforms in cages increased the daytime activity of silver foxes in their home cage, but the inclusion of nest boxes did not. Silver foxes housed at the front of the animal barn were less active during the working day and more active in the evening than were animals housed at the rear. The results of the open field test did not differ significantly between animals housed in cages differing in design. This study demonstrates that the behaviour of silver foxes was only minimally affected by the interior environment of the cage, and that attempts to improve housing design should also take the environment outside the cage into account.https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72851
spellingShingle Teppo Rekilä
Leena Ahola
Jaakko Mononen
Mikko Harri
Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
Agricultural and Food Science
title Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
title_full Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
title_fullStr Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
title_full_unstemmed Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
title_short Effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
title_sort effect of the environment inside and outside the cage on the activity and behaviour test performance of silver foxes
url https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/72851
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AT leenaahola effectoftheenvironmentinsideandoutsidethecageontheactivityandbehaviourtestperformanceofsilverfoxes
AT jaakkomononen effectoftheenvironmentinsideandoutsidethecageontheactivityandbehaviourtestperformanceofsilverfoxes
AT mikkoharri effectoftheenvironmentinsideandoutsidethecageontheactivityandbehaviourtestperformanceofsilverfoxes