Do Male Mice Prefer or Avoid Each Other’s Company? Influence of Hierarchy, Kinship, and Familiarity
Abstract
In the laboratory, individual housing of male mice who otherwise show aggression is common practice. Because mice are a social species, the question arises whether this procedure is right from the animals' point of view. This study tested the preference of subordinate animals for their dominant cagemate, and vice versa, and the preference of subordinate animals for an unknown subordinate partner. Experiments that allowed male mice with different histories to choose either an inhabited or an empty cage have shown that the mice preferred the proximity of another male over individual housing. No differences in this respect were found between dominant and subordinate males, or between littermates and nonlittermates. The preference was most obvious when mice who were previously housed together were tested. The study concludes that separation and single housing for mice are not attractive solutions for overcoming aggression in group-housed male mice and that alternative approaches, such as improving the housing conditions, should be explored as a way of tempering intermale aggression.
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In the laboratory, mice and rats prefer social company over being alone.
“In a laboratory setting, mice and rats prefer social company (even that of other males) over a solitary existence42,43.”
From Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis (2019) · cites this paper as [43]
Mice and rats build nests near conspecifics when partially separated.
“make nests in close proximity to conspecifics when partially separated43,45”
From Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis (2019) · cites this paper as [43]
Rodents prefer social rather than isolate housing.
“Rodents are innately social creatures and prefer social rather than isolate housing (Loo et al., 2001).”
From Dorsal raphe dopamine neurons represent the experience of social isolation (2016) · cites this paper as Loo et al., 2001
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Van Loo, P. L. P., de Groot, A. C., Van Zutphen, B. F. M., & Baumans, V.
- ORCID
- Baumans, Vera
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2001-04
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 91-103
- ISSN
- 1088-8705 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7604
- OpenAlex
- W1981121167
- Cited by
- 60
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Keywords
- male mice, male-male aggression, social preferences, dominance hierarchy, kinship, familiarity, single housing, group housing, animal welfare
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