Effects of floor textures on open-field behavior in selected lines of mice.

Mice representing the twenty-second generation of selection for high and low open-field activity were tested on four different floor textures: soil, bedding, metal, and astroturf. Members of both groups were most active on soil and least active on the metal floor surface. Although floor texture significantly affected activity level, rank order of the high and low selected groups was maintained. In general, defecation scores were negatively correlated with activity.