Publication Database

Castration of adult male mice allows resocialization and social housing of previously single-housed males (2019)

Art

Poster

Autoren

Leidinger, Charlotte

Hohlbaum, Katharina (WE 11)

Baumgart, Nadine

Baumgart, Jan

Thöne-Reineke, Christa (WE 11)

Kongress

14th FELASA congress 2019

10. – 13.06.2019

Quelle

Lab animal

Bandzählung: 53

Heftzählung: S1

Seiten: 150

ISSN: 0093-7355

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0023677219839199

DOI: 10.1177/0023677219839199

Kontakt

Institut für Tierschutz, Tierverhalten und Versuchstierkunde

Königsweg 67
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 61146
tierschutz@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Due to aggressive behavior among male mice, it is common to house them individually. However, social isolation causes serious welfare problems. In a case-study approach, we seek to demonstrate that castration of males, which had been individually housed for a longer period because of interspecific aggression, allows resocialization and harmonious group housing. Mice of 2 strains, BALB/cJRj mice (n = 21) and C57BL/6JRj mice (n = 19), were castrated. Following castration, the Mouse Grimace Scale, burrowing as well as nesting, weight progression and fecal corticosterone metabolite excretion were evaluated. 4.5 weeks after castration, the mice were resocialized in groups of 3–4 animals and indicators for group stability, i.e. interaction, group nest scores, and body weight, were investigated. In mice of both strains, neither burrowing nor nesting was impaired on day 1 after castration. In C57BL/6JRj mice, pain faces were found for up to 150 min post-surgery; stress hormone metabolite excretion increased on day 2 after castration and decreased by day 14 when compared to baseline. When animals were resocialized, C57BL/6JRj mice showed no aggressive behaviour. Aggressive behavior of the BALB/cJRj mice was limited to the first hours of group housing. Mice of both strains lost weight over the first two weeks and then regained weight. Our investigations demonstrate that castration of adult male mice allows group housing. In terms of a lifetime harm-benefit analysis for the individual animal, the short-term post-surgical stress and pain may be preferable to the long-lasting negative effects of single-sex housing of uncastrated males.