Cage Space Guidelines for Animals Used in Biomedical Research

Source: Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Note that animals used in agricultural research and teaching must be housed according to guidelines established by the Federation of Animal Science Societies. You can read the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching online.

Recommended Space for LABORATORY RODENTS

Animals	Weight, g	Floor Area/Animal, in^{2 a}	Height,^b in^c
Mice*	under 10	6	5
	Up to 15	8	5
	Up to 25	12	5
	over 25^d	at least 15	5
	female + litter	at least 51	5
Rats	under 100	17	7
	Up to 200	23	7
	Up to 300	29	7
	Up to 400	40	7
	Up to 500	60	7
	over 500^d	at least 70	7
	female + litter	at least 124	7
Hamsters	under 60	10	6
	Up to 80	13	6
	Up to 100	16	6
	over 100^d	at least 19	6
Guinea pigs	up to 350	60	7
	over 350^d	at least 101	7

*Note that RAR has established a slightly more restrictive policy than the NIH guidelines. The policy is no more than 4 adult male mice per small cage. The rationale for this is that most adult male mice will exceed 25 grams. Rather than trying to guess which ones do and do not exceed 25 grams, RAR has chosen the most conservative interpretation to keep us in compliance and to minimize crowding stress to the animals.
^aTo convert square inches to square centimeters, multiply by 6.45.
^bFrom cage floor to cage top.
^cTo convert inches to centimeters, multiply by 2.54.
^dLarger animals might require more space to meet the performance standards (see text).

SPACE ALLOCATION for BREEDING MICE

NOTE: Also see the WEANING SOP for guidelines.

SMALL BOX CAGES

(~7x10 inches)

One male and three females may be housed per shoebox cage for breeding. It is not acceptable to house 1 male with four females.
All but one pregnant female must be moved from the box into separate boxes (maximum = one female per small or two per large box) prior to delivery of any litter.
Two adult mice and one litter may be housed per shoebox cage until the litter is weaned.

LARGE BOX CAGES (~9x17 inches)

One male and a maximum of five females may be housed per large cage for breeding.
All but two pregnant females must be removed from the box into separate boxes (maximum = one female per small box or two per large box) prior to delivery of any litter.
Three adult mice and two litters may be housed per large cage until the litter is weaned.

Recommended Space for RABBITS, CATS, DOGS, and NONHUMAN PRIMATES

Animals	Weight, kg^a	Floor Area/Animal, ft^{2 b}	Height^c in^d
Rabbits	under 2	1.5	16
	Up to 4	3.0	16
	Up to 5.4	4.0	16
	over 5.4^e	over 5.0	16
Cats	under 4	3.0	24
	over 4^e	over 4.0	24
Dogs^f	<15	8.0	Cage height should
	Up to 30	12.0	be sufficient for animals to
	over 30^e	at least 24.0	comfortably stand erect.
Monkeys^gh (including baboons)
Group 1	Up to 1.5	2.1	30
Group 2	Up to 3	3.0	30
Group 3	Up to 10	4.3	30
Group 4	Up to 15	6.0	32
Group 5	Up to 20	8.0	36
Group 6	Up to 25	10	46
Group 7	Up to 30	15	46
Group 8	over 30^e	>25	60
Apes (Pongidae)^h
Group 1	Up to 20	10.0	55
Group 2	Up to 35	15.0	60
Group 3	over 35ⁱ	25.0	84
Pigeons^j	-	0.8	-
Quail^j	-	0.25	-
Chickens^j	under 0.25	0.25	Cage height should
	Up to 0.5	0.50	be sufficient for animals to
	Up to 1.5	1.00	comfortably stand erect.
	Up to 3.0	2.00	-
	over 3.0^e	at least 3.00	-

^aTo convert kilograms to pounds, multiply by 2.2.
^bTo convert square feet to square meters, multiply by 0.09.
^cFrom cage floor to cage top.
^dTo convert inches to centimeters, multiply by 2.54.
^eLarger animals might require more space to meet performance standards (see text).
^fThese recommendations might require modification according to body conformation of individual animals and breeds. Some dogs, especially those toward upper limit of each weight range, might require additional space to ensure compliance with the regulations of the Animal Welfare Act. These regulations (CFR 1985) mandate that the height of each cage be sufficient to allow occupant to stand in "comfortable position" and that the minimal square feet of floor space be equal to mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches (measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; then divide the product by 144."
^gCallitrichidae, Cebidae, Cercopithecidae, and Papio. Baboons might require more height than other monkeys.
^hFor some species (e.g., Brachyteles, Hylobates, Symphalangus, Pongo, and Pan). cage height should be such that an animal can, when fully extended, swing from the cage ceiling without having its feet touch the floor. Cage-ceiling design should enhance brachiating movement.
ⁱApes weighing over 50 kg are more effectively housed in permanent housing of masonry, concrete, and wire-panel structure than in conventional caging.
^jCage height should be sufficient for the animals to stand erect with their feet on the floor.

Recommended Space for Commonly Used Farm Animals

Animals/Enclosure	Weight, kg^a	Floor Area/Animal, ft^{2 b}
Sheep and Goats
1	under 25	10.0
	Up to 50	15.0
	over 50^c	20.0
2-5	under 25	8.5
	Up to 50	12.5
	over 50^c	17.0
Over 5	under 25	7.5
	Up to 50	11.3
	over 50^c	15.0
Swine
1	under 15	8.0
	Up to 25	12.0
	Up to 50	15.0
	Up to 100	24.0
	Up to 200	48.0
	over 200^c	over 60.0
2-5	under 25	6.0
	Up to 50	10.0
	Up to 100	20.0
	Up to 200	40.0
	over 200^c	over 52.0
Over 5	under 25	6.0
	Up to 50	9.0
	Up to 100	18.0
	Up to 200	36.0
	Over 200^c	>48.0
Cattle
1	under 75	24.0
	Up to 200	48.0
	Up to 350	72.0
	Up to 500	96.0
	Up to 650	124.0
	over 650^c	over 144.0
2-5	under 75	20.0
	Up to 200	40.0
	Up to 350	60.0
	Up to 500	80.0
	Up to 650	105.0
	over 650^c	over 120.0
Over 5	under 75	18.0
	Up to 200	36.0
	Up to 350	54.0
	Up to 500	72.0
	Up to 650	93.0
	Over 650^c	over 108.0
Horses	-	144.0
Ponies
1-4	-	72.0
Over 4/Pen	under 200	60.0
	over 200^c	over 72.0

^aTo convert kilograms to pounds, multiply by 2.2.
^bTo convert square feet to square meters, multiply by 0.09.
^cLarger animals might require more space to meet performance standards (see text).

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The information contained in this site is intended as a reference for University of Minnesota investigators, and animal husbandry and veterinary staff. Drug information and dosages are derived from a variety of sources and do not necessarily guarantee safety or efficacy. Information obtained through this site should not be relied upon as professional veterinary advice. Any medications administered or procedures performed on animals should only be performed by or under order of a qualified, licensed veterinarian.