Mice have a strong preference to nest away from their own waste and should be housed in a system of cages that allows them to create a toilet area, according to work led by researchers at the University of British Columbia.
The study, published April 16 in Scientific Reports, showed that mice who were housed in a system of three interconnected cages used separate cages for nesting and eliminating waste.
The findings suggest that mice—used in more biomedical research than any other animal—should be provided with a so-called “en suite bathroom” space to ensure their welfare. Standard housing for these laboratory animals consists of simple cages with a single, small, open space.
“This finding is important, because housing mice in constant contact with their excrement is common practice in laboratories,” said Joanna Makowska, adjunct professor in the UBC faculty of land and food systems’ animal welfare program. “Housing animals in an environment they are motivated to avoid compromises their welfare, and may also negatively affect research data.”
Continue reading at University of British Columbia (UBC).
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