![]() Received: OctoAccepted: JanuPublished: March 30, 2012Ĭopyright: © 2012 Gaskill et al. Crusio, Université de Bordeaux and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France Our results suggest that under normal laboratory temperatures, mice should be provided with no less than 6 grams of nesting material, but up to 10 grams may be needed to alleviate thermal distress under typical temperatures.Ĭitation: Gaskill BN, Gordon CJ, Pajor EA, Lucas JR, Davis JK, Garner JP (2012) Heat or Insulation: Behavioral Titration of Mouse Preference for Warmth or Access to a Nest. Overall, mice of different strains and sexes prefer temperatures between 26–29☌ and the shift from thermotaxis to nest building is seen between 6 and 10 g of material. Mice transferred material from NC to TC but the likelihood of transfer decreased with increasing provision. In addition, temperature pairings altered the difference in nest scores with the smallest difference between locations at 26☌ and 29☌. Nest scores in NC increased with increasing provision. Nesting provision altered differences in nest scores between the 2 paired temperatures. As the difference in temperature between paired cages increased, feed consumption in NC increased. Food intake and nest scores were measured in both cages. The NC contained one of 6 nesting provisions (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10g), changed daily. One cage in each set was 20☌ (Nesting cage NC) while the other was one of 6 temperatures (Temperature cage TC: 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, or 35☌). Naïve CD-1, BALB/c, and C57BL/6 mice (36 male and 36 female/strain in groups of 3) were housed in a set of 2 connected cages, each maintained at a different temperature using a water bath. Nesting behavior should change with temperature and material, and the choice between nesting or thermotaxis (movement in response to temperature) should also depend on the balance of these factors, such that mice titrate nesting material against temperature. Nesting material should allow for improved behavioral thermoregulation and thus alleviate this thermal stress. This increased thermal stress has the potential to alter scientific outcomes. In laboratories, mice are housed at 20–24☌, which is below their lower critical temperature (≈30☌). ![]()
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