What is the mouse mother called? - briefly
The mother of a mouse is called the dam, also referred to as a doe.
What is the mouse mother called? - in detail
The female parent of a mouse is referred to as the dam. In laboratory and breeding contexts the term is standard for the adult female that produces offspring.
The word “dam” originates from animal husbandry, where it designates the mother of domestic species such as horses, cattle, and rodents. It contrasts with “sire,” the term for the male parent.
Key points about the dam:
- Reproductive role – carries embryos, gives birth, and nurses the pups until weaning.
- Genetic contribution – supplies half of the genetic material to each offspring, influencing traits such as coat color, behavior, and disease susceptibility.
- Maternal behavior – builds a nest, gathers bedding, and exhibits pup‑retrieval and grooming actions essential for pup survival.
- Research relevance – in biomedical studies, the dam’s health, age, and genotype are critical variables affecting experimental outcomes.
In scientific literature the designation appears in phrases such as “dam genotype,” “dam age,” or “dam‑derived microbiota.” When recording breeding records, the dam’s identification number is logged alongside the sire’s to trace lineage.
Alternative informal references include “mother mouse” or “female mouse,” but “dam” remains the precise term used in professional and academic settings.