Influence of visual cover on ramp climbing behavior in guinea pigs

To ensure the optimal welfare of a species in captivity, housing and enclosure design must align with the ecology, physiology, and behavioral biology of the animal. For the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), a popular pet and laboratory animal, it is important to consider the behaviors associated with being a prey animal, and how that is influenced by their environment. In this study, seven guinea pigs climbed a ramp of increasing heights with full and partial cover. Each session, the ramp’s height was increased by 3 cm, up to a maximum of 63 cm. Under full cover, the guinea pigs climbed faster, whereas under no cover, their climbing speed was slower as the ramp height increased, and not all guinea pigs reached the maximum height. There was also an order effect where climbing behavior in the partial cover condition affected movement in the subsequent cover condition. The study highlighted a potential effect of personality, and the elicitation of vigilant behavior associated with the level of cover on the ramp. This study indicated that it is important for guardians to provide for the behavioral needs of guinea pigs by considering the effect of cover type in the design of enclosures. This offers balance to the trade-off between the need for guinea pigs to visually assess their environment and explore and forage safely.