Floor Types Tested for Farmed Silver Foxes

Some people believe farmed foxes prefer earthen floors over wire mesh floors. The belief being animals prefer a more natural environment to a man made one. Early preference tests had mixed results. Silver foxes spent equal amounts of time on wire mesh and solid floors in some experiments, while in others they showed a preference for sand and in others the foxes spent more time on wire mesh given the choice.

Researchers M. Harri, J. Monenen and J. Sepponen at the University of Kuopia in Finland in 1998 "asked" the foxes their opinion about four floor types. Silver foxes could choose between four cages each with a different type of flooring. The flooring types used were:

1. plastic-coated woven hexagonal wire mesh,
2. dry wood,
3. dry sand and
4. icy sand or wet wood.

The first experiment ran from mid-February to early March when the wet sand floor was frozen, hence icy sand. The same foxes were again given four choices in late March to early April with the icy sand being replaced with wet wood. In the spring session the wet wood floor was frozen during the nights. The fourth floor type most resembled the natural ground cover for foxes of northern climes for six months or more of the year.

Twelve foxes were videotaped and their actions recorded under one of two headings - active or resting. Active periods included sitting, standing or in motion. Sleeping or resting in a lying position were scored as resting. Foxes were active 40 to 50% of the time. Foxes were most active between 8 A.M. and 4 P.M. and the least active between midnight and 8 A.M.

In the Spring.
Foxes spent most of their active time on the dry sand and less time on the wire mesh floors. Dry wood was most preferred for a resting place with no difference between the other three flooring types.

In Mid-Winter.
During the active period the foxes showed a slight preference for dry wood and dry sand over wire mesh and icy sand. Dry wood was the most preferred resting place and icy sand the least preferred resting place.

Different floors were chosen for activity and rest. The wet or icy floors were chosen less often as a resting place than for activities. Dry wood was more often chosen as a resting place over being an active place. Dry sand was twice as likely to be selected for active behaviours as for resting.

Foxes are individuals too.
This group of researchers found a large variance in the group " means " in this study and three previous tests. In other words, different individuals preferred different floors. The researchers believe foxes have a low priority for flooring in general, but a high level of priority within individuals.

When blue foxes were tested for cage furnishings preference the same individual consistency was seen. People assume that if an animal picks a resting place and decides it is uncomfortable then it will rest elsewhere next time. The foxes in this study mostly chose to rest on the same floor area as where they had finished their previous resting period. The least preferred floor type for resting was the icy floor, the wild foxes winter habitat. Earlier research trying to duplicate natural winter conditions, found foxes preferred to rest on the ground whether dry, wet or snow covered. The conclusion then was foxes did not dislike frozen or wet ground under natural conditions.

Why didn't they like these wet floors?
Wet floors in a farm situation can become soaked with feces and urine. Foxes dislike using a soiled area for resting. These researchers found a preference for wooden resting places among the four floor types. It was anticipated the foxes would have the same preference for wood if only a wooden platform and wire floor were made available. In their 1996 study a preference was not seen between the two floor types.

The researchers concluded foxes preferred solid floors if the floors were dry but had an aversion to them if they were wet or icy. Under farm conditions solid flooring becomes wet and icy due to foxes defecating and urinating on them. The researchers were careful to point out health and hygiene problems associated with earthen-floor or solid-wood floor housing were nearly eliminated with the use of wire flooring. With dry and wet solid floors on opposite ends of the preference scale they could not interpret fully the importance of solid floors to foxes. They are going to study further the strength of the preferences seen in this experiment. It will be interesting and useful to see just how strong a fox's feelings are for it's flooring. Perhaps variety is all the foxes are looking for.