Who tamed the mouse? - briefly
Laboratory researchers, especially the Cambridge team led by John B. S. Haldane in the early 20th century, were the first to tame the mouse for scientific use.
Who tamed the mouse? - in detail
The domestication of the mouse began with deliberate breeding for research purposes in the early twentieth century. Laboratory strains such as the albino Mus musculus domesticus were first produced by William Castle and his colleagues at the University of Edinburgh in the 1900s, who selected individuals for light coat color and docile behavior. Subsequent work by Calvin Bridges and Theodosius Dobzhansky refined these lines, establishing genetic stability and reproducibility.
Parallel to scientific breeding, pet owners in the United Kingdom and United States started keeping wild‑caught mice as companions during the 1930s. Breeders like John R. H. McArthur developed the “Fancy Mouse” by selecting for temperament, coat patterns, and reduced aggression, creating a marketable variety for hobbyists.
Key milestones in the process include:
- 1902: First documented attempts to produce a white laboratory mouse.
- 1915: Establishment of the “C57BL” inbred strain, later evolved into C57BL/6, a cornerstone of biomedical research.
- 1930s–1940s: Emergence of commercial mouse shows, standardizing aesthetic and behavioral criteria for pet mice.
- 1951: Publication of the “Jackson Laboratory” mouse catalog, providing a centralized source for genetically defined strains.
The combined efforts of early geneticists and selective breeders transformed the wild rodent into a controlled model organism and a popular small pet, completing the taming process through systematic selection, controlled environments, and dissemination of standardized lines.