CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Provided are animal containment systems and components, including single-use animal containment cages and modular rack units. Also provided are methods for assembling and using components of the animal containment systems.
1 . A rodent containment cage comprising a base and a cover, wherein:
the cover and base are constructed from a polymer;
the base comprises a wall or walls and a bottom;
the base or cover, or base and cover comprise at least one corner or edge in the interior of the cage accessible to a rodent that can be contained in the cage; and
which at least one corner or edge is defined by (i) surfaces having an angle α greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees, and (ii) a minimum radius Φ; defined by Φ=0.25/(tan((π/360)(360−α))) inches.
2 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , which comprises a filter in effective connection with the cover.
3 . The rodent containment cage of claim 2 , which is ventilated and in effective connection with a blower.
4 . The rodent containment cage of claim 2 , which is ventilated and in effective connection with a vacuum.
5 . The rodent containment cage of claim 2 , which is ventilated and in effective connection with a blower and a vacuum.
6 . The rodent containment cage of claim 2 , which comprises a filter shield, wherein: the filter shield is between the interior of the cage and the filter, and the filter shield comprises a surface with apertures that is offset from the filter and covers the filter.
7 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the cage is free-standing in a rack.
8 . The containment cage of claim 7 , wherein the cage is one of a plurality of free-standing cages in a rack.
9 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polyethylene teraphthalate.
10 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polyvinyl chloride.
11 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polyethylene.
12 . The rodent containment cage of claim 11 , wherein the polymer comprises high-density polyethylene.
13 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polyethylenefluoroethylene.
14 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polystyrene.
15 . The rodent containment cage of claim 14 , wherein the polymer comprises high-density polystyrene.
16 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises an acrylnitrile butadiene styrene copolymer.
17 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polypropylene.
18 . The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein the wall or walls of the base comprise a thickness of 0.01 to 0.08 inches.