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Caring for Peromyscus spp. in research environments

Lab Animal volume 43, pages 162–166 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Peromyscus spp. are the most abundant native North American mammals. They have gained popularity as research animals in the last 20 years, and this trend is expected to continue as new research tools, such as whole genome sequences, baseline physiological data and others, become available. Concurrently, advances have been made in the recommendations for the care of laboratory animals. The authors provide insight into how the Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center successfully breeds and maintains several stocks of deer mice and related species. This information is beneficial to researchers that plan to include Peromyscus spp. in their research programs.

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Figure 1: A map indicating the origin of the eight wild-type founder Peromyscus spp. at PGSC: P. maniculatus bairdii, P. maniculatus sonoriensis, P. polionotus subgriseus, P. leucopus, P. californicus insignis, P. aztecus hylocetes, P. melanophrys xenerus and P. eremicus.
Figure 2
Figure 3: Enrichment for deer mice.
Figure 4: A handling table with sides ∼10 in high for handling deer mice.
Figure 5: Method for picking up a deer mouse.
Figure 6
Figure 7

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Science Foundation, the US National Institutes of Health and University of South Carolina for providing support to PGSC. We thank the members of the University of South Carolina Animal Resources Facility, especially Patricia Conn, Bonnie French, Warren Hall, Julie Jackson, Nikki Schmidt, Ginger Peters and Pam Rudd, for their excellent care of the animals. We also thank Frances Lee for her assistance with the photographs.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center, Office of Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

    Janet P. Crossland,  Michael J. Dewey,  Paul B. Vrana,  Michael R. Felder &  Gabor J. Szalai

  2. Department of Animal Resources, University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, Columbia, SC

    Shayne C. Barlow

Authors
  1. Janet P. Crossland
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  2. Michael J. Dewey
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  3. Shayne C. Barlow
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  4. Paul B. Vrana
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  5. Michael R. Felder
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  6. Gabor J. Szalai
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Janet P. Crossland.

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Crossland, J., Dewey, M., Barlow, S. et al. Caring for Peromyscus spp. in research environments. Lab Anim 43, 162–166 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.504

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