IntelliCage for Rats by NewBehavior

The same technology that has been proven extensively in the IntelliCage for mice is now available for rats!

IntelliCage for rats is a novel, yet tested approach for studying cognitive behavior of rats without handling by the experimenter. The system takes advantage of transponder technology for the individual recognition and treatment of animals.

IntelliCage for rats records and tests a wide range of behavioral abilities: exploration, approach/avoidance, spatial preference, spatial patrolling (including short-term spatial memory tasks), spatial avoidance, and even temporal-spatial learning. Individual rats are easily trained to work in a permanently assigned corner and can be subjected to long/lasting operant conditioning schedules such as fixed ratio and DRL schedules.

Each IntelliCage for rats unit allows simultaneous monitoring of up to 16 rats (according to the strict Swiss animal welfare regulations) depending on the task. Experimental and control animals can be kept in the same or in separate cages. The system is scalable and can be set up in different configurations, such as horizontal layout or stacked into racks.

General features

• Capable of monitoring individual learning over short and long time periods including neural degeneration and regeneration
• Gives the opportunity to study learning behavior of rats without stress and in a social context
• Allows fully automated screening of complex spatial and non-spatial learning procedures with online monitoring
• Provides "intellectually enriched" environment, the degree of the challenge being variables
• significantly reduces repetitive and boring routine work for technicians and scientists
• standardization of procedures
• compatible with increasingly restrictive legislation on animal welfare
• user friendliness: our software modules allow use of the system without specific behavioral know-how being necessary

Technical description

Per system:

• 4 intelligent learning and conditioning corners
• programmable microprocessor for reading of transponders and communication to controller
• software for the programming, monitoring and data analysis of IntelliCage for rats
• additional software modules for standardized mass phenotyping
• personal programming to address specific questions possible
• sensors registering temperature and lighting condition in the animal living space

Per intelligent corner:

• 2 access doors to liquids triggered by nose-pokes
• 1 antenna for recognition of individual transponders
• 2 liquid bottles (accessible independently)
• air valve for administration of punishment (air puffs)
• signaling multicolor-LEDs for choice discrimination
• temperature sensor confirms animal presence inside the corner