What is the main goal of maintaining a stable ambient temperature and humidity in mouse housing?

• A. To reduce handling time.
• B. To accelerate breeding.
• C. To minimize stress, maintain homeostasis, and reduce variability in experimental data.
• D. To preserve color of fur.

Answer: (C)

Stable environmental conditions are essential because they prevent the animal from experiencing stress and physiological disruption. When temperature or humidity fluctuates, mice must work harder to keep their bodies balanced, which changes energy use, hormones, immune responses, and behavior. Those changes can introduce variability in experimental outcomes, making it harder to tell whether observed effects come from the experiment or from environmental stress. By keeping conditions within a comfortable, consistent range, you support the mouse’s homeostasis, reduce stress-induced variability, and improve the reliability and comparability of the data.