Abstract
The effects of cage size and an obstructed view from the cage on the use of wooden non walled resting platforms by juvenile male (n=10) and female (n=15) silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were assessed in a 10 week experiment. The degree of the view and the free floor area of the cage varied between the five types of cage used. Each animal spent 2 weeks in each type of cage and their behaviour was videorecorded for a 24-h period in each 2-week period. The foxes spent 59 ± 13% of their daily time on the platforms. Use declined from 72 ± 13% in September to 35 ± 21% in November. Males used the platforms more than did females. In late October and early November, the foxes in cages with an obstructed view from the floor made more use of the platforms for both active behaviour and resting than did those in cages with an unobstructed view from the floor. The larger the free floor area of the cage, the less the silver foxes used the platforms during activity in mid-August and mid-September. One probable function of the platform is to offer the foxes an observation and resting place with an open view in all directions.
Highlights
According to the European Convention (1991), not all biological needs of farmed silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) are met in the current commercial husbandry systems
A nest box inside the cage reduces the free floor area of the cage; the foxes may use the roof of the box, i.e. one type ofplatform, more than platforms that do not restrict the free floor area (Mononen et al 1995)
Two hypotheses presented by Mononen et al (1995) were tested on farmed silver foxes
Summary
According to the European Convention (1991), not all biological needs of farmed silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) are met in the current commercial husbandry systems. The Convention lists the needs as a solid floored resting site, an observation place, a hiding place, and the possibility to stay on a higher level than the cage floor. Of these four needs, only the latter is systematically supported by the results of previous platform studies on silver foxes (see a review by Mononen et al.1996c). Only the latter is systematically supported by the results of previous platform studies on silver foxes (see a review by Mononen et al.1996c) It may be connected with the need of an animal for an observation place providing an unobstructed view. The size and height of the platforms were kept constant and all the experimental animals were exposed to all five types of experimental cage, i.e. they acted as their own controls
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