Odor preferences of wild stock female house mice (Mus domesticus) tested at three ages using urine and other cues from conspecific males and females

Abstract

Urinary chemosignals from conspecific males and females can influence the physiological processes of sexual development in female house mice. The experiments reported here involved testing the odor and whole animal preferences of female mice presented with stimuli from male mice and grouped female mice. Mice were tested at three different ages. Five types of tests were performed: an olfactometer test using whole animals as stimuli, a second olfactometer test using urine stimuli, a soiled bedding substrate preference test, an animal association test, and a stick-chewing test. The results from all tests indicate that prepubertal females avoided male odors and prefer odors associated with grouped females. By about the age of puberty, the females exhibited a preference for male cues and generally avoided cues from grouped females. As adults, the females strongly preferred cues associated with males and avoided cues from grouped females. Thus, female mice appear to be exhibiting some control over their own physiological development and their reproductive condition by the nature of the stimuli with which they associate. Their stimulus preferences may have consequences for their fitness.