[The behaviour and respiration features in rabbits with different pattern of their open field locomotor activity]

Behavior of 19 Chinchilla rabbits was tested in the open field. By the results of the first trial, animals were divided into three groups by the type of the exploratory locomotor activity (passive--37%; active--21; and medium--42%). During the repeated open field trials, the passive rabbits increased their activity and the active ones decreased it. Correlations were found between the open field behavior and patterns of the external respiration in the absence of movements. The longest respiratory cycles, expirations and respiratory breath holdings were observed in passive rabbits. Animals with prevailing right turnings in the open field displayed longer respiratory cycles and expirations than those with prevailing left turnings. It seems that the pattern of external respiration can predict the passive defensive strategy of rabbits in negative emotional situations.