Device for feeding experimental animals

摘要

These devices can be used in experimental veterinary medicine in universities, research institutes and the pharmaceutical industry. These devices are suitable for refitting of available standard animal cages, especially on the wire lid of these animal cages. The feeding devices, by means of which the time, duration and frequency of the supply of food to experimental animals can be predetermined and established are designed in three versions. One model has a feeding basket whose contours match those of the standard cage lid, and can be lifted and lowered, and it thus controls access to the food for the experimental animals. This construction is suitable for food pellets which have a diameter or edge length above 10 mm. In the embodiment with the flexible woven wire closure the same food pellets are placed in the available rack in the wire lid. The closure at the bottom of the rack prevents or permits access of the experimental animals to the food. Depending on the position of the mobile feeding trough, access of the animals to the food meal from the rack closed like a container is in each case permitted or prevented. The feeding technique for rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, etc. possible with the devices described permits time-controlled food consumption by these experimental animals. In animal experiments on rodents feeding has hitherto been ad libitum, i.e. it has depended on the animals how often and how much they eat from the food which is always available. The feeding devices now permit controlled food consumption with due consideration of aspects of diurnal rhythm. <IMAGE>