Object Play as a Positive Emotional State Indicator for Farmed Spotted Paca (Cuniculus paca).

ABSTRACT: We aimed to assess whether object play can be used as a positive emotional state indicator for farmed spotted pacas (Cuniculus paca) by examining its association with other positive welfare markers including affiliative behavior and low-amplitude vocalizations. We submitted six groups of spotted pacas (one male/two females per group) (N = 18) to an ABA experimental design (A₁/A₂: without ball; B: with three boomer balls). Object play behavior occurred only during phase B (mean = 35.5 s, SE = 6.4). The spotted pacas spent more time in affiliative and exploratory behaviors and less time engaging in agonistic interactions during phase B than in both control phases (A₁ and A₂) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the spotted pacas emitted more low-amp

SUBMITTER: Lima AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10778172 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature