Behavioural response of field voles under mustelid predation risk in the laboratory: more than neophobia

In the present study, we focus on the time budgets around feeding behaviour , by observing the behaviour of 24 field voles Microtus agrestis (Linnaeus, 1761) in the laboratory, exposed to no odour, faeces from a least weasel M ustela nivalis Linnaeus, 1766 and a domestic rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus ( Linnaeus, 1758). The voles did show a comprehensive response when exposed t o weasel odour, while exposure to rabbit odour caused only a single minor e ffect. The difference in response to the two odours rules out neophobia as the underlying cause of the behavioural changes. Voles exposed to weasel od our were more inactive, ate less of a high preference food that was placed far from the nest-box, displayed a smaller variation of behaviour types and their activities were overall more interrupted. Our study confirmed that t he mere risk of predation affects votes' feeding behaviour. This may explai n indirect effects of predation risk on other processes like reproduction.