Mice Try to Help Unconscious Friends
Scientists have discovered that mice may try to help their unconscious cage mates by interacting with them in different ways. Researchers at the University of Southern California observed mice in a lab setting and found that when a mouse was unconscious, other mice tried to revive it by pawing at it and even pulling its tongue to clear the airway.
This kind of helping behavior has been seen in some large, social animals like dolphins, who push struggling pod members to the water’s surface. However, this is one of the first detailed studies showing such behavior in small rodents.
How Mice React to an Unconscious Friend
The researchers conducted tests where mice were presented with a familiar cage mate that was either awake or under anesthesia. The results showed that mice spent about 47% of a 13-minute observation period interacting with the unconscious partner. Their behavior followed three stages:
- Sniffing – The mice started by sniffing their unconscious friend.
- Grooming – They then moved on to gentle grooming.
- Physical Interaction – The mice engaged in more intense actions, such as opening the unconscious mouse’s mouth and pulling out its tongue.
In over 50% of the cases, the mice focused on the mouth, trying to help their partner breathe. They also licked the eyes and bit near the mouth area. In a separate test, scientists placed a small, non-toxic plastic ball in the mouth of an unconscious mouse. The helping mice successfully removed the object 80% of the time.
Does Helping Make a Difference?
The study found that mice who received help woke up and started walking much faster than those that were left alone. Once the unconscious mouse showed signs of movement, the helper mice gradually stopped their caregiving actions.
Although this behavior is not the same as CPR, which requires training, scientists say it is similar to basic first aid, where someone helps clear an unconscious person’s airway.
Other research teams have also observed similar behavior in lab mice, suggesting that this might be a common response among them. Seeing this in wild mice may be difficult because they usually hide from humans, but that doesn’t mean they don’t do it.
This discovery could help scientists better understand how animals, even small ones like mice, show empathy and care for their companions.
