EFFECTS OF HOUSING ON SOCIAL PREFERENCE AND BEHAVIOR IN MALE GOLDEN-HAMSTERS (MESOCRICETUS-AURATUS)

In this study, the behaviour of male golden hamsters was assessed in two different housing conditions, individual or group, using the dependent measures of social proximity, behaviour, weight gain, and wounding as a result of fighting. Data were collected on social proximity (within one body length) and behaviour while test hamsters lived for 2 days in a social preference apparatus with stimulus (littermate) hamsters. The results showed that hamsters spent more time in social proximity than out of proximity, especially if they had prior group housing experience. In addition, singly housed hamsters showed more agonistic behaviour with conspecifics and lower weight gains than group-housed hamsters, while group-housed hamsters showed more evidence of wounding. These data show that early housing experience can profoundly affect later social preferences and behaviour. They also strongly support the use of multiple measures in the assessment of animal wellbeing. © 1990.