Lofgren, J. L., Wrong, C., Hayward, A. et al. 2010. Innovative social rabbit housing. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 659 (Abstract #PS13).

While female rabbits can be safely cohoused, aggression and resulting fight wounds preclude cohousing males. However, males may still benefit from social enrichment. Currently no housing systems provide males a safe opportunity for social interaction. The innovative social housing investigated features an opaque and clear cage divider with perforations allowing visual and minimal tactile contact. Eight adult male SPF New Zealand white rabbits were housed in either traditional single housing or innovative housing. Rabbits were remotely observed via surveillance cameras. Cage locations and behaviors were recorded during four 2-h time frames: prefeeding, diurnal, crepuscular, and nocturnal. Interobserver and intraobserver κ scores were above 0.8. Results indicated rabbits in innovative housing spent a majority of the prefeeding, diurnal, and nocturnal time frames in the quadrant closest to the perforated clear divider (P < 0.01). Rabbits in innovative housing had significantly greater frequency of active behaviors, specifically exploring and interaction during the diurnal and crepuscular time frames (P < 0.05). Rabbits in traditional housing spent significantly more time eating during diurnal hours (P < 0.01). At the end of the 2-wk study, 100% of rabbits in innovative housing, but only 50% in traditional housing remained in the front half of the cage when approached by unfamiliar staff. Additionally, when unfamiliar personnel placed their hand inside the cage, 100% of rabbits in innovative housing approached and touched the hand within 10 s, whereas 75% of the rabbits in traditional housing had not approached after 1 min. With the simple addition of this novel social cage divider, male rabbits preferred social interaction, demonstrated increased activity and diversity of natural behavior, as well as more social behavior toward unfamiliar staff. This innovative social housing system offers a simple and inexpensive means for improving the welfare of male rabbits without requiring additional time for husbandry or changes in facility infrastructure.