IntelliCage Add-On SocialBox

The SocialBox allows monitoring of social behavior of mice using the IntelliCage transponder-based RFID – technology. Additional cages can be used either for monitoring social interactions between animals or for the monitoring of individual spatial preference patterns. Up to four SocialBoxes can be added to one IntelliCage creating 5 compartments of a multi-arena system. SocialBoxes are used for different tasks including monitoring of preference or avoidance by creating different environments in the boxes (e.g. differential lighting, temperature, color or padding, by olfactoric/acoustic devices or novel objects). The SocialBoxes are controlled by an upgraded IntelliCage Plus – software allowing a maximum of 8 IntelliCages or 32 SocialBoxes (= up to 128 mice) as your demands grow. Experimental and control animals can be held in the same or in a separate system, which can be upgraded gradually up to the maximal setup if requested.

General features

• Expands existing IntelliCages to a multi-arena system
• Allows studies on social and/or preference patterns
• Up to 4 additional rooms for each IntelliCage
• Offers additional space for enriched environment if requested
• Same high level of standardization as in IntelliCage
• Expands the capacity of the IntelliCage

Behavioral features

• Territoriality – spatial exclusion
• Bonding – temporal synchronization
• Dominance – chasing, precedence
• Social structure – temporal and spatial clusters
• Spatial preference/avoidance
• Novel object presentation