Housing and Care of Laboratory Animals

Abstract

Highly complex enriched housing systems are sometimes used to house experimental animals for neuroscientific experiments. Primary and secondary enclosures determine the immediate environment of laboratory animals, and should be arranged to support their species-specific requirements. A metabolic cage for rodents is one in which faeces and urine excreted by an individual animal can be collected separately without significant loss. Equipment used to prevent animals from becoming infected, such as that for steam and irradiation sterilisation for food or water, and cage and water bottle washers, should be checked regularly and rigorously. Transport is any movement of animals to another animal room within the same facility, to a procedure room, to another animal facility on the campus and, of course, conveyance from one institution or establishment to another. Food for laboratory animals can be provided in different forms, the commonest of which for laboratory rodents and rabbits is the pelleted diet.