An inexpensive surgical headholder for the rat

In many surgical procedures, there is a need to secure the animal's skull in a particular orientation. Described here is a surgical headholder for the rat that is inexpensive and easily constructed. The main component of the headholder is a screw type tubing clamp that is modified to allow the hard palate of the rat to be rigidly secured to the base plate of the clamp. This headholder has proven to be a highly satisfactory alternative to commercially available devices.