Home > Normal behaviour and physiology > Mouse > Physiological parameters

Environmental factors (unit)Value
Temperature (ÂşC)20-24*
Relative humidity (%)55 ± 10
Ventilation (air changes/hour)10 - 20
Light- darkness (hours)12-14 / 12-10
Minimum floor surface cage330
Minimum floor surface cage/ animal (cm²)60 (0-20 g) 70 (20-25 g) 80 (25-30 g) 100 (> 30 g)
Breeding animal with pups (cm²)330
Minimum cage height (cm)12
Maximum light intensity (measured at cage/animal level,  lux)60

* A higher temperature is required for newborns, animals that are ill or have undergone surgery and specific genetically altered strains (data modified from source: Van Zutphen, L.F.M., Baumans, V. and Beynen, A.C., Principles of Laboratory Animal Science, second edition, Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 2001).

General Physiological parameters (unit)Value
Adult weight (g)20-40 (male) 25-40 (female)
Lifespan (years)1-2
Heart rate resting (per min)300-800
Respiration rate resting (per min)100-200
Body temperature (ÂşC)36.5- 38.0
Number of chromosomes (2n)40
Body surface (cm²)36 (20 g) 130 (50 g) 260 (125 g)
Water intake (ml/100 g/day)15
Sexual maturity (weeks)5 (male and female)
Breeding age (weeks)8-10 (male and female)
Estrous cycle (days)4 (2-9)
Duration estrous (hours)14
Gestation (days)19 (18-21)
Litter size6-12
Birth weight (g)0.5- 1.5
Weaning weight (g) and weaning age (days)10 and 21-28
Blood values (unit)Value
Blood volume (ml/kg)76-80
hemoglobin (g/100ml)10-17
hematocrit (vol %)39-49
Leukocytes (Ă—1000/mmÂł)5-12
Glucose (mg/100ml)124-262