Stress measurements in mice after transportation

Abstract

Experiments were performed using physiological measures and behavioural parameters to find the acclimatization period in mice to common scientific procedures. Corticosterone levels were significantly elevated in mice killed immediately after being moved to an experimental room (P < 0.05) but levels returned to the normal in less than 1 day, despite mice being exposed to additional stressors such as novel environment, new cages, new bedding material, separation from their cage mates, regrouping, isolation in individually housed mice and a new handler. Behaviours such as rearing, climbing, grooming, feeding and sexual, changed significantly immediately after transportation of mice but most of these behaviours stabilized relatively quickly. In spite of the corticosterone levels, our behavioural observations suggest that even 4 days were not enough to allow the mice to acclimatize fully.