BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES OF LONGTAILED MACAQUES TO DIFFERENT CAGE SIZES AND COMMON LABORATORY EXPERIENCES

The authors tested the effects of varying cage size on the behavior of 10 female and 10 male Macaca fascicularis by singly caging them for 2 weeks in each of 5 cage sizes, ranging from approximately 20% to 148% of regulation size. Behavior in the regulation cage size, a size 23% smaller, and a size 48% larger did not differ in any analysis. Locomot ion was significantly less in the 2 smallest cage sizes. Abnormal beha vior occurred only 5% of the time, did not increase as cage size decre ased, and did not change significantly over nearly 3 years. Disruption of the normal activity budget in the laboratory environment proved to be a useful indicator of psychological well-being. Moving to a new ro om and, to a lesser extent, moving into a new, clean cage, regardless of size, was associated with disrupted sleep the Ist night and suppres sed activity, especially self-grooming, the next day.