HUSBANDRY, EQUIPMENT, AND PROCUREMENT OF MICE 547 



facilities for laboratory animals would in the long run benefit by investing in the services 

 of a qualified consultant or by sending a competent observer to visit laboratories which 

 maintain colonies of animals. Initial information about such colonies can be obtained 

 from the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources. If a facility is to be fairly small 

 the investment in outside consultants or designers may seem to be unwarranted. In 

 such cases the individuals responsible for the design of animal quarters should become 

 acquainted with the published information on design of facilities, equipment, and 

 husbandry. 



In matters relating to the facilities and equipment necessary for maintaining a 

 colony of mice, the methods used in any given situation should not be inflexible. 

 Ideal circumstances for rearing mice have never been achieved by any laboratory and 

 only experience can determine the most desirable methods. If the arrangements 

 described are closely followed, the experimenter will have fulfilled minimum, but 

 adequate, maintenance requirements. Variations from this basic pattern will be 

 necessary to accommodate the particular type of experimentation to be pursued. The 

 pattern described is suitable for experiments in genetics, radiation studies, immunology, 

 tumor biology, and for simply maintaining mice to be used elsewhere in the laboratory. 



Designs for facilities for rearing mice have been worked out in considerable detail 

 by various organizations and individuals. Some of the published designs have been 

 incorporated into facilities that are currently in use at the National Institutes of Health, 

 Walter Reed Army Research Center, and University of California Medical Center. 

 Designs such as these can be modified to suit the requirements of a particular type of 

 research, but the essential features which make such quarters desirable should not be 

 eliminated without compelling reasons. 



Let us assume that a room is available for use and that it is suitably lighted, heated, 

 and ventilated (or air conditioned). The room is accessible from a laboratory and is 

 arranged within a system of clean and dirty areas or corridors. The floors, walls, 

 and ceilings conform to, or exceed, the minimum standards set by the Committee on 

 Minimum Standards for Commercial Production of Mice. A wash basin or sink 

 should be located in the room and equipped with a dispenser for disinfectant soap. 

 The entrance should be a two-door vestibule. When one door of the chamber is open 

 the other must be closed. This prevents air disturbances in the room and also prevents 

 excessive loss of pressure if the room is pressurized. 



Cages. — Many factors must be considered in selecting the type of cage (figure 88) 

 to be used in a mouse colony. The type of cage can affect the health of the mice 

 and the operating efficiency of the colony. Cage designs are discussed extensively 

 in the UFAW Handbook and the manual Care and Management of Laboratory 

 Animals. 5 * 7 In general, the characteristics of a good mouse cage are: 



1. It should confine the animals without causing harmful effects. 



2. It must provide adequate space for nesting and exercise. 



3. It should be made of material which permits thorough cleaning, can withstand 

 sterilizing temperatures, and is durable. 



