Social Behavior, Reproduction, and Population Changes in the House Mouse (Mus musculus L.)

Brown, Robert Z.

doi:10.2307/1943592

Cited by 232 publications

(165 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(30 reference statements)

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“…Resources, such as food or materials which allow for nest building, are strongly tied to the survival and fitness of wild mice 5,18,19 . In studies, nesting material is a resource laboratory mice are strongly motivated to obtain 7,8 .…”

Section: Painmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nest Building as an Indicator of Health and Welfare in Laboratory Mice

Gaskill

Karas

Garner

et al. 2013

JoVE

135

112

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The minimization and alleviation of suffering has moral and scientific implications. In order to mitigate this negative experience one must be able to identify when an animal is actually in distress. Pain, illness, or distress cannot be managed if unrecognized. Evaluation of pain or illness typically involves the measurement of physiologic and behavioral indicators which are either invasive or not suitable for large scale assessment.The observation of nesting behavior shows promise as the basis of a species appropriate cage-side assessment tool for recognizing distress in mice. Here we demonstrate the utility of nest building behavior in laboratory mice as an ethologically relevant indicator of welfare. The methods presented can be successfully used to identify thermal stressors, aggressive cages, sickness, and pain. Observation of nest building behavior in mouse colonies provides a refinement to health and well-being assessment on a day to day basis.

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Section: Painmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Behaviors associated with nest building are therefore highly linked to the survival of wild mice 5 . Laboratory mice, even though removed from wild conditions for many generations, are highly motivated to build a nest when given proper materials 6,7 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nest Building as an Indicator of Health and Welfare in Laboratory Mice

Gaskill

Karas

Garner

et al. 2013

JoVE

135

112

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“…As they grow in confidence, their trips become longer, unchaperoned and playful (Brown, 1953;Crowcroft, 1966), with sib groups exploring, as well as foraging, together (reviewed Choleris et al, 1997). After weaning, the pups usually remain in the natal nest for an additional few weeks, until they reach sexual maturity (Brown, 1953;Berry, 1970).…”

Section: From Birth To Weaning: Development and Factors Affecting Finmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, remaining in the parental territory is dangerous, because males that stay and are not strong enough to overthrow their father may well be killed (see e.g. Brown, 1953;Gerlach, 1990).…”

Section: Sexual Maturity and Dispersal: Different Strategies For Diffmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In captivity, a large proportion of the time budget (17%) is also spent grooming (Baumgardner et al, 1980). This occurs sporadically during the active periods, and intensively after eating (Brown, 1953;Crawley, 2000). Self-grooming is important for hygiene and insulation (Crawley, 2000), while allo-grooming maintains social relationships (Brain and Benton, 1983;Brown, 1985), and assists the transfer of information about food stuffs (Crawley, 2000).…”

Section: Behaviour Within the Territory: Stable Routines In A Varyingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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From house mouse to mouse house: the behavioural biology of free-living Mus musculus and its implications in the laboratory

Latham

Mason

2004

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

292

236

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Understanding a species' behaviour in natural conditions can give insights into its development, responses and welfare in captivity. Here, we review research and pest control literatures on the free-living house mouse (Mus musculus), analysing its sensory world, developmental processes and behaviour to suggest how laboratory environments might affect mouse welfare, normalcy, test design, and behaviour. Mouse development from foetus to weaning is influenced by prenatal stress and nutrient levels, and post-natal litter size and other factors affecting maternal care, all with lasting effects on adult bodyweight, aggression, activity levels, stress responsiveness and masculinisation. These influences may well be important in the laboratory, for example unwittingly differing between facilities leading to site-differences in phenotype. Murine senses are dominated by olfactory, auditory and tactile cues. Their hearing extends into the ultrasonic, and vision, from mid-range wavelengths to the ultraviolet. In mouse facilities, behaviour and welfare may therefore also be affected by sensory stimuli unnoticed by humans. The physical and social environment and behaviour of wild mice differ greatly from those of laboratory mice. Dispersal age varies with resource-levels and social cues, and mice often either live alone or in family groups. Mice occupy territories/ranges measuring a few square meters to several square kilometers, and which allow running, climbing, and burrowing. Mice are often active during dawn/dusk, and spend their time patrolling their territories, investigating neighbours' odour cues, foraging, finding mates and rearing litters. The potential impact of these many differences and restrictions on laboratory mouse development, normalcy and welfare has only begun to be explored.

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The introduction of a group of alien mice (Mus musculus L.) into hierarchically organized groups of five male mice

Poole

Morgan

1976

Aggr. Behav.

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Groups of 3 male or female Mus musculus were introduced into hierarchically organized colonies of 5 male mice for a period of 8 days. The colonies were of 2 kinds; high‐level aggressive (HLA), which had been set up 3 days prior to the introduction of the aliens, and low‐level aggressive (LLA), which had been established for 21 days before strangers were introduced. Both males and anestrous females were attacked, but males were attacked 5 times more frequently than females. In HLA colonies most of the attacks on the aliens were by the dominant; in LLA colonies there was no difference in the behavior of dominant and subordinate mice toward strangers. Both aggression toward aliens and intracolony aggression declined over the 8 day experimental period. In HLA colonies the dominant mouse mounted females 5 times more frequently than did either his subordinates or male mice in the LLA colonies. In HLA colonies aliens huddled with subordinates to form a single colony with 1 dominant and 7 subordinates. In LLA colonies alien males remained as a discrete group spatially separated in the cage. Female aliens were incorporated into the main colony. In all cases dominant male mice made more attacks on aliens as compared with familiar mice.

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Social Behavior, Reproduction, and Population Changes in the House Mouse (Mus musculus L.)

Cited by 232 publications

References 36 publications

Nest Building as an Indicator of Health and Welfare in Laboratory Mice

Nest Building as an Indicator of Health and Welfare in Laboratory Mice

From house mouse to mouse house: the behavioural biology of free-living Mus musculus and its implications in the laboratory

The introduction of a group of alien mice (Mus musculus L.) into hierarchically organized groups of five male mice

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