Preferences for nesting material as environmental enrichment for laboratory mice (1997)

Van de Weerd, H. A., van Loo, P. L. P., van Zutphen, L. F. M. et al.

Abstract

All [group-housed] mice showed a clear preference for cages with [paper] tissues or [paper] towels as compared to paper strips or no nesting material, and for cages with cotton string or wood-wool as compared to wood shavings or no nesting material. Paper-derived materials were preferred over wood-derived materials, although the results also suggest that the nature (paper or wood) of the nesting material is less important than its structure, which determines the nestability of the material. Both sexes built nests and there was no sex difference in preference for nesting materials. ... 10-20% of the time budget was spent on manipulation of the nesting material during day or night. ... Nesting material may be a relatively simple method to contribute to the well-being of laboratory mice.