Behavior
Description
Videos
Each characteristic has 3 levels scored from 0 to 2, where 0 represents normality or absence of pain and 2 indicates the greatest possible pain.
Please see below the description of the behaviors of the ethogram of rabbits in pain.
Behavior
Description
Videos
1. Activity
Active
Moves and/or moves around
Inactive
Remains stationary
2. Position in the cage
Front
Front of the cage
Back
Back of the cage
Change position
Moves around the cage: front to back or back to front
3. Posture
Normal
Flexes pelvic limbs under the hip, thoracic limbs under the body; abdomen and chest not supported on cage floor
Seated
Sits with vertically extended thoracic limbs
Lying down
Lies with the abdomen and chest in contact with the cage floor and horizontally extended thoracic limbs
Lying on one side
Lies on one side of the body with horizontally extended thoracic limbs
Quadrupedal
In the quadrupedal position with the four limbs extended vertically; abdomen not in contact with the cage floor
Bípede
Supported on both pelvic limbs; thoracic limbs not touching the floor
Change posture
Alternates between different postures
4. Position of the ears in relation to the body
Completely lowered
Parallel to the vertebral column
Semi-lowered
Semi-lowered (positioned between fully lowered and erect)
Erect
Erect, perpendicular to the spine
‘Scissors’ ears
Each ear moves to different positions
5. Eye opening
Open
Fully open
Semi-closed
Semi-closed
Closed
Closed
Not visible
Not possible to visualize the eyes
6. Typical rabbit behaviors
Jump
Jumps to move around with both pelvic limbs at the same time
Rotating jump
Jumps performing a 180º or 360º rotation with both pelvic limbs at the same time
React
Moves head and/or body sharply in response to environmental stimulus (e.g., sound stimulus)
Shake body
Shakes the whole body
Shake the head
Shakes only the head
Dig
Digs the floor
Explore
Sniffs the cage floor and/or walls and/or bars curiously
Gnaw
Gnaws the floor or bars of the cage
Press limbs
Presses limbs strongly against the cage floor
Stretch
Stretches the body
Scratch ear
Scratches the ears with the limbs
Punch
Extends the thoracic limbs horizontally, quickly alternating between right and left
7. Interaction with motivational items
Interact with pinecone
Interacts with the pinecone (chews, gnaws, pushes with the thoracic limbs)
Eat carrot
Eats the carrot
8. Physiological behaviors
Drink
Drinks water from the water trough
Eat feed
Eats feed from the feeder
Ingest cecotropes
Ingests anal cecotropes
9. Self-cleaning: by licking; possibly with assistance from the thoracic limbs
Head
Head and ears
Body
Body, including abdomen and limbs (except affected limb)
10. Pain-related behaviors
Lick affected area
Licks affected region
Twitch
Presents spasms in the skin of the back
Flinch
Moves body quickly dorsally and for no apparent reason
Wince
Shrinks back and closes eyes
Stagger
Partially loses balance
Fall
Totally loses balance; falls to the floor
Tremble
Presents tremors observed in head and ears
Suspend limb
Keeps the affected limb suspended
Put weight on and raise
Raises and puts weight on the affected limb repeatedly
Try to get up
Tries to get up, but remains in a normal posture or lying down
Writhe
Contracts the muscles of the abdomen