H. Korhonen et al., Effect of enlarged cage space and access to earthen floor on locomotor anddigging activity of blue foxes, AGR FOOD SC, 8(3), 1999, pp. 253-263
The experiment was carried out in order to clarify rebound effect of differ
ent-sized wire-mesh cages and access to an earthen floor on activity, floor
preference and digging motivation in adult male blue foxes (Alopex lagopus
). The experimental set-up employed a construction in which the solitary an
imal spent the first 2 weeks in a small, raised wire-mesh floored cage (80
cm long x 105 cm wide x 70 cm high). Thereafter, cage length was enlarged f
rom 80 to 120 cm for a further 2 weeks and then to 240 cm. Finally, the fox
also had free access to an earthen floor cage at ground level (80 cm long
x 105 cm wide x 70 cm high). The behaviour of each experimental animal was
video-recorded for 240 hours in each housing option. The results showed tha
t the amount of locomotor activity did not significantly increase despite e
nlarged cage space and access to the earthen floor. Seventy five % of activ
ity bouts were no longer than 6 minutes. The shortest bouts were observed i
n large cage with access to an earthen floor. Foxes significantly preferred
a raised wire-mesh floor to an earthen floor at ground level. Provision of
an earthen floor did not motivate foxes to dig.