Effects of clean and soiled sawdust substrates and of different urine types upon aggressive behavior in male mice

The effects of sawdust taken from the cages of grouped or isolated male mice upon the aggressiveness of trained fighter mice toward castrated opponents were examined. The results indicate that (1) substrate soiled by stable groups of male mice does not provide aggression-promoting odors, (2) application of the urine of isolate male mice to castrate opponents increases the aggressiveness of fighters toward the castrates, and (3) application of isolate male urine to the test substrate inhibits the aggressive behavior of a fighter toward its castrated opponent. The concepts that male mouse urine possesses both aggression-promoting and aggression-inhibiting cues are not mutually exclusive, but the action of the urine depends upon whether it is placed onto a mouse or onto the substrate. The findings are discussed in relation to those of previous studies on soiled sawdust and aggression, and an attempt is made to relate these results to a territorial situation.

Aggression · Biology · Developmental psychology · Sawdust · Substrate (aquarium) · Urine · Ecology · Endocrinology · Healthcare and Venom Research · Medicine · Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research · Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior · Psychology

• Aversive potency of urine from dominant and subordinate male laboratory mice (Mus musculus)

  Open Access•Ray B Jones, Norman W Nowell•Aggressive Behavior•1989

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• Differences between two strains of mice, selectively bred for high and low aggressiveness, in the capacity of male odors to affect aggressive behavior

  Open Access•N Kenneth Sandnabba•Aggressive Behavior•1986

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