# Lab cage suggestions … USA



## blubart (Dec 20, 2009)

I think the best option is to bite the bullet and go with lab cages. I've found a few suppliers in the US but worry about wire spacing on the tops (they don't really tell you). I would love to hear others' experiences and potential sources. Thanks!


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Spacing on lab cages if intended for mice is good and should not have any escapees. Disadvantages with lab cages is having to remove the top to access the mice. Alternative is rack system as per many YouTube videos intended for rats but change hardware cloth to finer. Price wise on the two probably work out about the same.

Water bottles versus automatic watering system would be another thing to look at. Also type of food whether go for lab blocks or not, certainly less wastage with lab blocks. All really depends on personal preference and amount of mice being kept.


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## blubart (Dec 20, 2009)

Thank you! Never thought about an automatic watering system &#8230; sounds interesting. How would that be set up? Speaking of water bottles, which do you prefer, the one with the ball bearing or the ones without? I'm being a real brain-picker! LOL!


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Water Bottles I prefer those with the ball bearing than without.

Automatic watering system is one water vessel usually a good sized bucket placed above the cages with the base atleast 8 inches above the top of rack, this allows the water to flow via gravity, this is attached to a thin hose that feeds each cage working down the rack and T piece to connect to each cage a drinking nozzle. I wil be using a 32Litre underbed storage box instead of bucket.

Drinking nozzle themselves is another thing usual is a vari flow nozzle quite expensive compared to just a water bottle, the nozzle from a drinking bottle can be easily removed with a pair of pliers and attached to a hose with appropriate size inside diameter in UK the Classic bottle tight fit on an 8mm inside diameter hose. and works out cheaper than the vari flow, testing the chicken drinker at the moment and compared to vari flow or bottle nozzle although the cheapest is also prone to dripping at slightest movement as is a very loose type of drinker compared to water bottle ball bearing and variflow.

Automatic watering sytems designed mainly for the drawer type rack system rather than lab cages where you have to remove the lid. again like the rack system on Youtube there are ones that cover the automatic watering systems also. Price comparison water bottle £2.00 variflow £3.99 chicken nozzle 0.30p from china


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