Fecal pellet output and water content. Fecal pellets expelled were collected from each animal for 90 minutes during the dark phase on days 5, 12, and 19 just after the bedding change once a week, as well, the water content in feces was assessed (Supplementary Methods).
Whole gastrointestinal transit time. A cohort of experimental mice (n = 20) was administered carmine dye by oral gavaged 2 hours following the last stress, GI transit time was considered as the time between gavage and first observance of a red fecal pellet (Supplementary Methods).