Choices of farm foxes for raised wire mesh cage and ground pen

Abstract

Time-budget distribution for a raised wire mesh cage and a ground-level solid-floored pen were assessed in male silver foxes ( Vulpes vulpes) ( N = 8 adults) and blue foxes ( Alopex lagopus) ( N = 10 adults and N = 10 juveniles) in a combined cage-pen housing arrangement employing 24 h infrared activity detectors and video recordings. The experimental set-up comprised a ground floor pen (2 m wide × 4 m long × 1.5 m high) equipped with a 1 m long wire mesh tunnel (diameter 30 cm) which was connected to the standard shed cage (110 cm long × 107 cm wide × 60 cm high). Time spent for locomotion, sitting and standing in silver foxes was of the same order of magnitude in both sections. However, the cage floor was utilized significantly more ( p < 0.001) than the ground floor for resting. The total time spent in the cage section was also significantly higher ( p < 0.001) than that in the pen section. Silver foxes spent 48 min/24 h for digging which occurred only in the pen section. The feeding location did not significantly influence the choice of section due to the short amount of daily time used for eating. In adult blue foxes the time used for locomotion was about the same in both sections. However, juvenile blue foxes spent more time in the cage section ( p < 0.01). It can be concluded that farm foxes originally born and lived in shed cages do not reject wire mesh flooring.