Animal Cage

Quick Answer: A laboratory animal cage of this type is a plastic tub with a wire grill lid used to house small laboratory rodents such as rats and mice in an animal house. The grill lid typically holds feed pellets and a water bottle, while the tub holds bedding.

Housing Rodents for Teaching and Research

Cages like this are used in the animal houses of pharmacy, medical and life-science colleges and research institutes, where rats and mice are kept for approved pharmacology and physiology experiments. The product image shows a rat cage in polycarbonate, a clear plastic that lets staff check the animals without opening the cage; the material and size of this listing can be confirmed with the order.

A cage is set up with a layer of clean, absorbent bedding such as wood shavings or corn cob, a water bottle whose sipper tube passes through the grill, and feed pellets in the hopper part of the lid. The number of animals per cage depends on the floor area and the animals’ size, and is set by the welfare guidance your institution follows.

In India, institutions using laboratory animals need approval from an Institutional Animal Ethics Committee, and housing and care must follow national guidelines. Cleaning schedules, bedding changes and records are part of that responsibility, and a cage that is easy to clean and inspect makes those routines simpler.

Specifications

Applications

• Housing rats or mice in college and research animal houses
• Holding animals during pharmacology practicals approved by the ethics committee
• Quarantine of newly arrived animals before they join the colony
• Short-term observation of animals after an approved procedure

Care & Handling

• Change bedding regularly and whenever it is wet or soiled.
• Wash cages with warm water and detergent and disinfect them before reuse.
• Check water bottles daily for leaks and blocked sipper tubes.
• Inspect the grill lid and clips for gaps or sharp edges that could injure animals or let them escape.

Why Choose LabEquip

Pharmacy colleges, medical colleges and research institutes with registered animal houses buy cages in sets to match their colony size. LabEquip lists this cage in the Biology Lab Products range alongside the twin grill animal cage; send the species and numbers to be housed through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which animals is this cage suitable for?

Tub-style cages with grill lids are used for small rodents, mainly rats and mice. Rats need larger cages than mice, so match the cage size to the species and the number of animals.

What bedding should be used in the cage?

Clean, dust-free, absorbent bedding such as autoclaved wood shavings, paper bedding or corn cob is common. Avoid cedar shavings, which release aromatic oils that can affect animal health and experimental results.

How often should the cage be cleaned?

Bedding is typically changed once or twice a week, or more often if the cage is crowded or wet. Follow your animal house’s standard procedure and record each change.

Can polycarbonate cages be autoclaved?

Polycarbonate can be autoclaved, but repeated cycles and strong alkaline detergents make it cloudy and brittle over time. Many animal houses wash cages with neutral detergent and autoclave only when needed.

How many rats can be kept in one cage?

It depends on the cage floor area and the weight of the animals. Welfare guidelines set minimum floor space per animal, so compare the cage dimensions with the guidance your ethics committee follows.

Is approval needed to keep laboratory animals?

Yes. In India, institutions using animals for research or teaching need a registered animal facility and approval from their Institutional Animal Ethics Committee for each project.

Last Updated: September 2026