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 or cover, or base and cover, are disposable;
the base comprises walls and a bottom, which walls comprise a thickness of about 0.01 to about 0.08 inches; are flexible and are coextensive with the bottom;
the base or cover, or base and cover, comprise a plurality of corners, or edges or corners and edges in the interior of the cage accessible to a rodent that can be contained in the cage, defined by surfaces having an angle α greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees;
all of the corners, edges or corners and edges present in the interior of the cage, accessible to a rodent that can be contained in the cage, and defined by surfaces having the angle α have a minimum radius φ;
φ=0.25/(tan((π/360)(360−α))) inches; and
whereby the corners, edges or corners and edges are resistant to gnawing damage by a rodent that can be contained in the cage.
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 walls of the base are of a substantially uniform thickness of about 0.01 to about 0.03 inches.
19. The rodent containment cage of claim 1 , wherein angle α is greater than 190 degrees and less than 300 degrees.
20. The rodent containment cage of claim 19 , wherein the minimum radius φ is greater than 0.02 inches and less than 0.43 inches.
21. The rodent containment cage of claim 19 , wherein angle α is greater than 240 degrees and less than 300 degrees.
22. The rodent containment cage of claim 21 , wherein the minimum radius φ is greater than 0.14 inches and less than 0.43 inches.