The effect of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of caged rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Behaviour and use of the cage area were studied in 96 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) kept in an enriched cage system - with access to shelter and rai sed height at the back of the cage - and in a conventional cage system to e stimate the effects of the environmental enrichment on the rabbits' welfare . The rabbits' behaviour and placement in the cage were observed, using con tinuous video recording through 24 h and direct scan sampling during the da ytime. In addition, an open-field test was carried out with each rabbit, an d after every single test, the rabbits' timidity of being captured was reco rded. Rabbits kept in the conventional cage system, especially the females, showed more restlessness, excessive grooming, bar-gnawing and timidity tha n rabbits kept in the enriched cage system. This indicates increased stress in the rabbits kept in the conventional, cage system. All the rabbits perf ormed most of the active behavioural elements in the daytime and were resti ng mostly at night that shows that the rabbits in both cage systems were ad apted to the daily activity in the animal unit; the enrichment had no effec t on the daytime activity. Only a few rabbits, particularly the females, used the box as a shelter or resting-place. On the other hand, they more often used the roof of the box as a look-out or resting-place. Furthermore, the rabbits' behaviour showed that they utilised the raised height in the enriched cage system. These results indicate that rabbits kept in an enriched cage system, partic ularly the females, had better welfare than rabbits kept in a conventional cage system because they had access to shelter and a better chance of inter acting with the environment. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.