Pairing alters the effect of progesterone on nesting in female C57BL/10Sn mice

Progesterone treatments have been shown to increase nesting levels of isolated female mice. Here we compared the effect of exogenous progesterone on the nesting behavior of C57BL/10Sn female Mus domesticus housed individually to nesting levels of the same mice housed in pairs. Progesterone increased nesting by isolated females but had no significant effect on the nesting scores of the same mice when they were grouped into pairs. The effect of exogenous progesterone on nesting levels in C57BL/10Sn females appears to depend on social circumstances.