Mirrors as potential environmental enrichment for individually housed laboratory mice (2004)

Sherwin, C. M.

Abstract

The present study examined the influence of a mirror on the behaviour individually housed laboratory mice. Sixteen mice were placed into apparatus comprised of preference cages connected by a tunnel. A mirror was placed in one of the preference (mirror) but not in the other (non-mirror) and the position swapped daily for 4 days. Thirteen of 16 mice spent less time in the mirror cage than the non-mirror cage (Sign test; P=0.021) indicatingan aversion to the mirror, however, the difference in occupation of the cages was not great. .. The presence of the mirror significantly reduced feeding from the immediately adjacent feeder. .. Overall, these results show that a mirror is slightly aversive to individually housed mice during general cage and more highly aversive during feeding. These data therefore indicate that in contrast to some species, mirrors are probably not a suitable environmental enrichment for individually laboratory mice.