How long can a mouse live without food and water? - briefly
A mouse typically endures about 2–3 days without water, while it can survive up to a week without food; when both are absent, survival drops to roughly 24–48 hours.
How long can a mouse live without food and water? - in detail
Mice survive for a limited period when deprived of both nourishment and hydration. The exact duration depends on age, strain, ambient temperature, and body condition.
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Adult laboratory mouse (20–30 g):
Without water: mortality typically occurs within 48 hours at room temperature (20‑22 °C).
Without food: survival extends to 5–7 days under the same conditions.
Combined deprivation: death usually follows 2–3 days, because dehydration accelerates organ failure. -
Juvenile mouse (under 3 weeks old):
Water loss: lethal within 24 hours.
Food lack: survival rarely exceeds 3 days.
Both absent: death often occurs within 1–2 days. -
Cold environment (≤10 °C): metabolic rate rises, increasing water loss and shortening survival by roughly 30 %.
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Warm environment (≥30 °C): dehydration accelerates; mortality may occur 12‑24 hours earlier than at moderate temperatures.
Physiological mechanisms:
- Dehydration: plasma volume drops, blood pressure falls, kidneys cease concentrating urine, leading to electrolyte imbalance and cellular collapse.
- Starvation: glycogen stores deplete within 12‑24 hours; liver switches to gluconeogenesis, then to ketone production after 48‑72 hours. Muscle protein catabolism begins, causing rapid weight loss and organ dysfunction.
- Combined stress: lack of water impairs renal clearance of metabolic waste generated during fasting, compounding toxicity and hastening death.
Experimental observations confirm that providing water alone extends survival to 5–7 days, while offering food without water yields only 2–3 days. Therefore, the critical limiting factor is hydration; without it, mice cannot endure beyond a few days regardless of caloric intake.