lab animals

mice genus + species

Mus musculus

mice order

rodentia

mice/rats mother

dam

mice/rats father

sire

mice/rats parturition/offspring

pup

rats genus + species

Rattus norvegicus

rats order

rodentia

rabbits genus + species

Orcytolagus caniculus

rabbits order

lagomorpha

rabbits mother

buck

rabbits father

kindle

rabbits parturition

kindle

rabbits offspring

kit/kittling

standard photoperiod

12:12 or 14:10

mice lifespan

1-2 yrs

rats lifespan

2-4 yrs

rabbits lifespan

5-6 yrs

mice estrous cycle

4-5 days

rats estrous cycle

4-5 days

rabbits estrous cycle

15-16 days

mice gestation

19-21 days

rats gestation

20-22 days

rabbits gestation

31-32 days

mice litter size

10-12

rats litter size

9-11

rabbits litter size

7-9

temporary id

felt tip marker (days), dye (wks), shave patch of fur

permanent id

ear tagging, 0.5-2mm notch, implanting microchip

mice & rats nutrition

omnivorous, monogastric

rabbit nutrition

concentrate selectors, enlarged hindgut, coprophagy

coprophagy

eating feces to absorb nutrients, behavior highest when diet is high in non digestible fiber

lee-boot effect

synchronizing females by housing together, causes persistent diestrus

whitten effect

introduce bedding of male, females enter estrus within 3 days

how to check cycle stage of female

swab vagina, look at vulva, diestrus = smaller opening, dry, proestrus/estrus = moist, pink, open, metestrus = enlarged w striations