Published on Sep 28, 2024
The objective: My goal was to show that mice will establish a territory over a certain time, and I plan to take random snapshots of their positions in order to show a perferred area where mice spend their time.
Wood for cages, 20 - mice(10 male and 10 female), 2 - exercise wheels, 20 - shelters, 12 dishes for food and water
The mice didn't establish a territory, but they did establish dominance. There were 2 main leaders of groups within the mice, and they both often fought with each other over the exercise wheel, and females.
One day I found 1 of the leaders buried in the main room with his intestines hanging out, I assumed that he was killed by the other leader.
From that point on all the mice followed the remaining leader. Also the mice spent most of their time in the smallest rooms.
Mice aren't territorial when it comes to land, but they will fight over items(such as the exercise wheel) and also females.
Often times mice will display open violence in order to scare the other mice into following them.