Small Animal Enclosures and Housing

The selection of small animal housing enclosures for laboratory facilities is dictated by a multitude of factors. Design of the actual facility and the configuration of the caging system can significantly affect the health and well-being of the rodents used in research, as well as the research results. The regulatory requirements for small animal enclosures and housing in the United States focus primarily on animal health and well-being. Rodent caging systems can be quite variable, but most fit a standard design of a simple box with modifications to provide environmental enhancements for the animals, to meet experimental objectives, and to ensure bioprotection or containment of pathogens or allergens. As the body of knowledge in animal care increases, the selection of materials for the construction of rodent caging has adapted to provide increased bioprotection, balanced with improvements to animal well-being. Modern caging for small rodents is generally constructed of plastics, with the type of plastic utilized having changed over time.