Housing systems to meet the behavioural needs of a solitary mammal with an extensive home range: The Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi)
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2012 |
Authors: |
C. J. C. Phillips, E. Davies, A. Lisle |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
housing, julia creek dunnart, pacing, running wheel, sminthopsis douglasi |
ISBN: |
0168-1591 |
Abstract:
The Julia Creek dunnart is a rare solitary marsupial that displays regular stereotyped pacing in captivity. An effective captive breeding programme has been hindered by the lack of an efficient housing system. An initial experiment examined the feasibility of housing in pairs, by mixing animals of different ages and sex for a 2 h period, and providing a barrier between the two animals in the initial joining period. Pairs of young animals hid more than old ones (86% vs. 59% of time, P = 0.003), whereas old pairs spent more time running (4% vs. 0% of time, P = 0.03) and had more feeding (0.33 vs. 0.05, P = 0.002) and exploring (0.3 vs. 0.1) events. The barrier did not affect aggression but it increased the behavioural similarity of the two animals. A second experiment examined the behavioural responses to pairing of single sex male and female pairs over a six week period, and the provision of a running wheel for locomotion. Two out of eight pairs of animals had to be separated due to aggressive interactions, and the remaining paired animals exhibited more stereotypic pacing (63 vs. 4 events/6 h, P = 0.01) and self-grooming (871 vs. 191 events/6 h, P < 0.001) than singles. The wheel reduced the number of pacing bouts from 4.8 to 1.9/6 h (P = 0.05), and the total distance travelled (wheel + pacing) increased from 1.3 to 3.9 km/6 h. Females ran further in the wheel than males (43 vs. 12 m/6 h, P < 0.01), and they had fewer agonistic interactions with their pen mates when they were provided with a wheel (6 vs. 169/6 h, P < 0.01). Males ran further by stereotyped pacing than females (0.23 vs. 0.02 km/6 h, P = 0.02). Pairing of animals was therefore not suitable in small cages utilised for the captive breeding programme because it resulted in aggression and stereotyped behaviour. However, provision of a running wheel can help to reduce stereotyped pacing.