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Updated: May 31, 2026

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16:23

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Cage-change interval preference in mice.

Tamara Godbey1, Gordon Gray, Dean Jeffery

  • 1Animal Care Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Lab Animal
|June 22, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Mice in research facilities prefer clean cages. Studies show mice actively choose unsoiled cages over those not changed for up to 14 days, indicating a need to consider animal well-being in housing practices.

Area of Science:

  • Laboratory animal science
  • Animal welfare research
  • Rodent behavior studies

Background:

  • Traditional mouse caging involved frequent changes (1-2 times/week).
  • Individually Ventilated Cage (IVC) systems are now standard, with cage changes typically every 2-3 weeks.
  • Current cage-changing protocols may prioritize operational efficiency over animal preference or well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate mouse preference for cage cleanliness.
  • To determine if mice prefer unsoiled cages compared to soiled cages.
  • To assess the impact of cage soiling duration on mouse preference.

Main Methods:

  • A simple preference test was conducted with groups of mice.
  • Mice were given a choice between a clean cage and cages soiled for 1, 7, or 14 days.

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Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction
16:23

Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction

Published on: February 26, 2014

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice
09:15

The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice

Published on: February 4, 2015

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Using Clicker Training and Social Observation to Teach Rats to Voluntarily Change Cages

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  • Nest location and time spent in each cage were used to evaluate preference.

    • Main Results:

    • Mice consistently preferred the unsoiled cage.
    • A significant preference for clean cages was observed across all tested soiling durations.
    • Younger mice (<150 days old) exhibited a stronger preference for unsoiled cages compared to older mice (>150 days old).

    Conclusions:

    • Mice demonstrate a clear preference for clean housing environments.
    • Cage changing frequency in IVC systems may not align with animal welfare needs.
    • Further research is needed to establish optimal cage change intervals based on animal preference and well-being.