Comparison of Preferences of Farmed Silver and Blue Foxes for Cages with and without a Nest Box

Abstract

The preferences of juvenile farmed silver foxes (n = 14) and blue foxes (n = 12) for an empty cage (105L × 115W × 70H cm) and a cage of equal size with a wooden nest box were assessed in an 11-day preference test. The silver foxes spent a higher percentage of their time (86 ± 8%) in the nest box cage than the blue foxes (66 ± 21%). The silver foxes, but not the blue foxes, had a strong preference for the nest box roof as a resting site (44% of total daily time). Assuming that greater use indicates a greater need, silver foxes may benefit more from the nest boxes than blue foxes.