Optimice Cage Divider Kit for Use with Perforated Floors, Social Holes

Social Enrichment for Singly Housed Mice on Perforated Floors

Optimice Cage Divider Kit for Use with Perforated Floors, Social Holes

Many toxicology studies utilize non-solid floors since they facilitate controlled exposure to drugs and drug metabolites, eliminate bedding as an experimental variable and allow for more accurate feed consumption measurements. Animal Care Systems Perforated and Wire Bar Floors provide high quality flooring for these requirements. In addition, laboratory mice are often housed individually due to aggressive interactions or for experimental reasons, but social isolation can cause welfare issues.

A perforated divider allows mice housed on perforated floors to interact in terms of sight, smell, sound, and (if desired), have limited tactile contact with a cage mate while preventing interactions that could include teeth, and excessive worrying or overgrooming at permanent installations such as head caps. Providing appropriate conspecific contact for singly-housed rodents represents best practices and is looked upon favorably as a means to improve welfare for animals who must be housed by themselves. And it benefits more than just the singly-housed animals: The investigator keeps fewer cages, too. A win-win for all!

Recommendations: This divider comes as a kit and includes the feeder specifically for the divider (Product # C40102), installation clips and social holes. This divider isn’t compatible with auto-water and an extra water bottle for the divider is required (the divider has a notch in it to hold the extra bottle).

Typical products purchased with this divider are:

• Optimice/Optirat GenII Standard Bottle and Cap Assembly: C79122P