Pair-housing rabbits in standard laboratory cages: The relative importance of social enrichment (2002)

Chu, L., Garner, J. P., Mench, J. A.

Abstract

Even though they are highly social animals ... rabbits in laboratories are often housed individually. Singly caged rabbits exhibit abnormal behaviors, an accepted indicator of poor welfare. Group housing of rabbits is an option, but is associated with problems with hygiene and aggression. We therefore examined the effects of pair-housing. ... Female New Zealand White rabbits were housed either individually (n=4) in single cages or in non-littermate pairs (4 pairs) in double-wide cages. ... Individual rabbits developed more abnormal behaviors like digging, bar biting, and floor chewing. .. Aggression in paired rabbits was generally low and was stable across the study ... but one pair did have to be separated due to persistent bite wounds. We then conducted a preference test during which rabbits were required to push through weighted doors in order to gain access to various resources. ... Rabbits were willing to push more weight and spent more time with food and conspecifics than enrichment [nestbox, tunnel]. Together, these studies highlight the importance of social contact for laboratory rabbits and suggest that pair housing is a viable option .... although methods to reduce injurious aggression require investigation.