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Establishing and Maintaining an Etruscan Shrew Colony.

The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus) is one of the smallest mammals on earth and is used in many fields of research, including physiology, behavioral science and neuroscience. However, establishing and maintaining a breeding colony of thisspecies in the laboratory can be challenging, as it requires specific husbandry conditions that greatly differ from those ofmore common laboratory species such as mice or rats. Over the past 15 y, we have successfully established a long-term thrivingcolony of 150 to 200 animals originating from 36 founders. The colony shows longer life expectancy and larger litter sizesthan wild conspecifics. Breeding occurs year-round, independent of seasons, and a breeding pair can regularly produce 2 to 6offspring with an average life expectancy of more than 3 y. The shrews are housed in glass or plastic enclosures on a specificsoil-sand-mixture bedding and are provided with hideouts and nesting material consisting of moss, wood, or bark. Due to their high basal metabolic rate, the shrews require food intake greater than their body weight per day, can hunt arthropodsas large as themselves, and cannot survive more than a few hours without food. Live feed such as crickets or mealworms is crucial and must be provided daily or, at the very least, every 2 d. Although our husbandry practices have constantly been adapted and refined, shrew husbandry remains challenging, and great care is necessary to meet the specific needs of this species. Here, we describe the establishment of a long-term stable colony of Etruscan shrews in a research animal facility and the specific husbandry requirements for animal wellbeing.