Rat/Mouse Flashcards
A group of mice/rats is called?
mischief
Temp for rats and mouse
65-75
humidity for rats and mouse
40-60
mice and rats are primarily?
Nocturnal, consider dark places for housing
Bedding needs to be __, ___, ___
soft, absorbent, and non-toxic (no cedar)
Whats the name of the cage for rats/mice
Solid bottom shoebox style cages with metal grates
Rodent bedding needs to be at least?
1 inch deep
How to clean cages (4)
- Put mice/rats in new cage that is
already set up - Remove all bedding material and put
in trash
3.Toss uneaten food
4.Clean cage with soap and water
When to clean cages (2)
- Every 3 days
- When more than 25% of bedding is wet (when viewed from the bottom)
More than ____ species of rodents
2,000
Up to ___ of mammalian species are
rodents
40%
identification (7)
1.Cage cards
2. Non-toxic marker on fur
3. Shaving patches of hair
4.Record any natural markings in medical record
5.Tattoos of ear, tail, toe
6. Ear punching (notches or tags)
7. Microchips
Gloves to avoid
Leptospira
Grasp at ___of the tail to move from cage to cage. Do not suspend for long periods of time Can slough off skin by grasping ___
base; distal tail
Male
Anus is further from urethral
Female
Anus is closer to urethral
Medication can be given (7)
IV, IP, SQ, IM, IO, ID, and retro-orbital plexus
Most meds must be
Diluted
Small gauge needle ____
(22 or smaller)
IV (4)
Saphenous, jugular, femoral, lateral tail (easiest)
SQ
In scruff of neck or back
IM
Difficult due to small muscle mass + sciatic
nerve
IP
Easily done, tilt animal to avoid cecum, can add larger volumes
Oral gavage
Quicker and most efficient than placing
meds in a water bottle
Measure to the last rib for oral gavage rats/mice
(2-3” in rats, 1.5” for mice typically
16-18G for ___ and___ needles for gavage
rats;20G
Steps for oral gavage (3)
Slide gavage ball along palate until reaching
the esophagus, allow animal to swallow
then continue advancing slowly. Should be able to pass easily. If animal starts to choke or cough, restart
Blood volume for rodents is apx. ___ of body
weight, do not take more than ___of body weight
in blood at a time, less in sick animals
6-7%; 1% of body weight
For venipuncture a _____ is needed?
Small gauge needle or butterfly catheter – 25 or
smaller
Can also pull blood from (6)
tail arteries, saphenous vein, femoral vein, jugular vein, cranial vena cava, intracardial, etc. but must be done under anesthesia.
Trauma
Fighting, males or females housed together +/-
with young
Barbering
Alopecia around head/muzzle/trunk from cage
mates chewing
Nutritional deficiencies
Feed commercial rat/mouse pellet, use within 6 months of purchase
Do not feed fresh ______, could be
contaminated with bacteria
fruits or vegetables
Ringtail
Common in rats that have been kept in low
humidity. Causes annular constrictions in tail, leads to sloughing, edema, necrosis.
Shoebox type cages ____
help keep humidity up
Malocclusion
Caused by continuous growth of incisors. Soft
diets or mis-alignment of jaw can lead to tooth overgrowth.
Life span of rats
26-40 months
Life span of mice
12-36 months
Male Mice body weight
20-40
Female Mice body weight
22-63 g
Male rat body weight
267-500 g
Female rat body weight
225-325 g
Heart rate for rats
313-493
Heart rate for mice
247-697
RR for rats
71-146
RR for mice
91-216
Temp rats
37.7
Temp mice
37.1
Gestation rats
21-23 days
Gestation mice
19-21
Litter size rats
6-13
Litter size mice
7-11
