Comparison of daytime use between platform types, materials, ceilings and experiences in juvenile blue foxes ( Alopex lagopus)

Abstract

The current European recommendations require that each weaned fox shall be provided with a resting platform in its cage. In the present study, daytime platform use between two platform types (wooden side-U ( n = 58) vs. wooden corner flat ( n = 38)), materials (wood ( n = 112) vs. net ( n = 38)), ceilings (23 cm ( n = 112) vs. 30 cm ( n = 36)) and pre-weaning platform experiences (experience ( n = 58) vs. no-experience ( n = 54)) were compared in juvenile blue foxes ( Alopex lagopus) (total number of animals, n = 264). The statistical analyses were based on the mixed-model approach to the repeated measurements. The type comparison indicated that platform type significantly affected the amount of its use. The wooden side-U was highly preferred by the test animals but use of the wooden corner flat was minimal. Net proved to be a suitable platform material because use of net platforms was not substantially lower than that of the corresponding wooden ones and furthermore, foxes' faeces do not accumulate on them. In both material groups platform use declined similarly from the beginning of August until mid-November. The low ceiling was slightly prefered by females over the high ceiling even after the effect of weight on platform use had been eliminated. In males no such preference was observed. Pre-weaning platform experience increased post-weaning platform use significantly in the wooden corner flat group but not unambiguously in the wooden side-U group. The present results support the conclusion that the recent recommendations of European Convention should be subjected to reconsideration in order to provide more specific guidelines.