Mouse Lab Behaviour: How to Listen to Their Preference During Maintenance in House Facilities

Mouse phylogeny, evolution and natural behaviour enable a new methodology for testing inputs, materials and equipment that are adequate/comfortable for the animals during their maintenance in house facilities. We developed an ICS prototype, capable of comparing two types of objects/materials based on “listening” the animal. The efficiency of the ICS can be demonstrated through the evaluation of basic materials in house facilities, such as chow, water decontamination process, floor/bed type and environmental enrichment objects. Our results demonstrate that while infant and young mice prefer commercial unprocessed chow over autoclaved one, adult mice show no preferences. Regarding water consume, at any age (4, 6 and 8 weeks of life - wko), differences in the water decontamination process - filtered or autoclaved – were observed. However, in relation to the floor/bed, at all ages, wood shavings were preferred (90%) over pine flakes. Finally, the environmental enrichment categories preferred are those that offer shelter and nesting possibility. Our results showed that ICS uses adequate evaluation parameters, allowing the handler to “hear” the mouse’s