To Group or Not to Group? Good Practice for Housing Male Laboratory Mice.

ABSTRACT: It is widely recommended to group-house male laboratory mice because they are 'social animals', but male mice do not naturally share territories and aggression can be a serious welfare problem. Even without aggression, not all animals within a group will be in a state of positive welfare. Rather, many male mice may be negatively affected by the stress of repeated social defeat and subordination, raising concerns about welfare and also research validity. However, individual housing may not be an appropriate solution, given the welfare implications associated with no social contact. An essential question is whether it is in the best welfare interests of male mice to be group- or singly housed. This review explores the likely impacts-positive and negative-of both housing conditions, presents

SUBMITTER: Kappel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5742782 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature