GTTF Mouse Colony
Know Your Mice
- Housing & Environment
- Physiological Parameters
- Breeding & Reproductive Data
- Miscellanies
Housing & Environment
Temperature: 22-25°C
R..H.: 50-70%
Light/Dark cycle: 14/10
Housing: 5 adult mice per cage
or: Breeders + litter
Mouse genome:
Number of chromosomes: 40
Diploid DNA content about 6 pg per cell
3 x10 9 bp per haploid genome
Physiological Parameters
Body temperature: 37-38°C
Respiration rate: 94-163/min
Heart rate: 325-780 beats/min
Water consumption: 3-7 ml/day
Urine excreted: 1-3 ml/day
Daily feed: 3-6g
Blood volume: 70-80 ml/kg bodyweight
Blood collection: max volume 0.5-0.7% of bodyweight
Breeding & Reproductive Data
Breeding age: 6 weeks
Cycle: Polyestrus 4-5day when housed with a male.
Mating: place the female(s) into the male’s cage
Gestation 19-21 days
Litter size: 6-12
Weaning age: 21 day
Optimal reproductive span: 7-8 month
Miscellanies
Life span: 1.5-2.5 years
Albinos have very poor eyesight due to degenerative retinas
High sensitivity to water loss
No sweat glands, can’t pant, poor salivation and can’t vomit
Lose heat from ears and tail
One lung lobe on the left and 4 on the right
Male mice have 50% more spleenic tissue than females
The tail is very sensitive to pain and used in balance and as a thermoregulatory
organ.