Evaluation of Techniques for the Group Housing of Rats in Standard Vivariums

New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology, Socorro NM

Investigators

Abstract

Housing for rodents used in research has changed little in the past 75 years. Typically rats are paired two per cage in plastic cages not much larger than shoe boxes, and cages are held on upright wheeled metal racks having four or five shelves, with four or five cages per shelf. Such caging provides little opportunity for exercise or either cognitive or social stimulation, yet alternatives are limited without radically altering housing facilities. This proposal will create and evaluate two alternative group housing modes, both based on the existing rack configuration and hence consistent with current housing facilities. Both types of facility will be compared to existing caging in terms of cost as well as ease of identification and capture of the rodent. More importantly, these alternative group-housing facilities will be assessed for their effects on the rat occupants. Fighting, activity levels, body weights, health status and housing effects on cognitive development will be assessed and compared to standard two per cage housing. Benefits to be realized from this project are substantial. Research involving environmental enrichment and social behavior in rats will profit from design and evaluation of practical, standardized and sanitary housing environments that will fit into the standard rodent vivarium. Secondly, and of far greater importance, this project has the potential to substantially improve standard rodent housing facilities without greatly increased costs or vivarium space requirements. Such an improvement would have positive consequences both for research and for the quality of life of the rodents.