The effects of cage size and complexity on the behaviour of captive common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus jacchus (1996)

Kitchen, A. M., Martin, A. A.

Abstract

Pair-housed marmosets showed a significant increase in perching plus a significant decrease in stereotypic and aggressive behavior several months after being transferred from their small home cages equipped with a nest box and two branches to double-size cages that were also outfitted with a nest box and two branches.They showed a significant increase in cage space usage and a significant decrease in aggression, stereotypies and startle response after their homecage was provisioned with several branches; in fact the startle response and stereotypies disappeared altogether with the installation of the branches Stereotyped behaviours, which occurred in the small [furnished] cages, were never exhibited in the large [furnished] cages. We conclude that the welfare of captive marmosets is enhanced by the provision of larger and more complex cages, and that such cages do not significantly affect the efficiency of the research laboratory.