Investigate - Object

Mouse Ethogram  >  Active Behaviors  >  General Activity  >  Exploratory Behavior  >  Investigate  >  Object

Overview and Meaning

Investigation of an object is a general investigatory behavior that is directed to a specific object in the environment. It serves to investigate the local microenvironment.

Description

The mouse holds its nose to an identifiable stimulus to investigate it by sniffing or whisking.

Classification

Exploration, variant of Investigate

Contexts

Environmental, Food

Variants

Object investigation may occur in four different postures:

  1. Upright. The mouse rears up on its hind legs.
  2. Oblique. The mouse has its forebody off the floor and it is sitting up, resting on its haunches.
  3. Sideways. The mouse has all four paws on the cage floor.
  4. Investigate - Stretched Attend

Object is a variant of Investigate.

Investigate is part of

Exploratory Behavior

The full behavior chain consists of:

  1. Search
  2. Attend
  3. Approach
  4. Investigate

Investigate has 6 variants:

  1. Investigate - Stretched Attend
  2. Investigate - Body Trunk
  3. Investigate - Facial
  4. Investigate - Anogenital
  5. Investigate - Object
  6. Investigate - Undirected Sniffing

 

Stanford Department of Comparative Medicine presents

A Comprehensive Ethogram of the Laboratory Mouse

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