How long can mice go without drinking water? - briefly
Mice generally survive «2–3 days» without water, while marked dehydration occurs after roughly «24 hours».
How long can mice go without drinking water? - in detail
Mice possess a high metabolic rate that creates a rapid turnover of body water. Basal water loss occurs through respiration, cutaneous evaporation, and renal excretion, averaging 3–5 ml kg⁻¹ day⁻¹. When fluid intake ceases, physiological mechanisms such as concentrated urine, reduced glomerular filtration, and increased plasma osmolality act to conserve remaining water.
Experimental observations indicate that adult laboratory mice survive without drinking for approximately 24–48 hours under standard ambient temperature (20–22 °C) and relative humidity (50–60 %). Survival beyond 48 hours is rare and typically associated with severe dehydration, marked by >15 % body‑weight loss, impaired locomotion, and elevated plasma sodium (>150 mmol L⁻¹). Juvenile mice exhibit a shorter tolerance, often succumbing within 12–24 hours due to lower total body water reserves.
Key factors influencing dehydration endurance include:
- Ambient temperature: each increase of 5 °C reduces survival time by ~20 %.
- Humidity: low humidity accelerates evaporative loss, shortening endurance.
- Body mass: larger individuals retain water longer than smaller ones.
- Health status: disease or metabolic disorders lower tolerance.
- Access to food: metabolic water produced from food oxidation can marginally extend survival.
Research by «Brown et al., 2018» reported that mice provided with moist chow (≈70 % moisture) survived up to 72 hours without direct water, highlighting the contribution of dietary water. Conversely, studies using dry pelleted diets observed mortality at the 24‑hour mark, confirming the critical role of external water sources.
For animal‑care protocols, it is recommended to monitor body‑weight loss hourly after water deprivation, replace water within 12 hours for any loss exceeding 5 %, and maintain environmental conditions within the optimal temperature‑humidity range to prevent premature dehydration.
In summary, under typical laboratory conditions, mice can endure a period of roughly one to two days without fluid intake, with survival sharply limited by environmental stressors and physiological reserves.