Care and Feeding

Number of

Number of

Cage Dimensions*

Adults

Young

Length

Width

Height

Breeding/Lactation

1 pair

8-10

50 cm

25 cm

15 cm

Growing

-

-

60 cm

60 cm

8 cm

Experimental

8-10

Variable

Feeding Recommendations

Daily Feed Usage

Water Requirement

Begin Dry Food Consumption

10-14 gm. Feed free choice.

Ad libitum

7-9 days

No supplemental feeding necessary

Environmental Data

Room Temp.

Humidity

Light

Litter Material

21 °C

45-55%

10-12 hrs/day

Treated shavings, corn cobs, beet pulp, peat moss,

or commercial bedding

Biological Values

Blood Chemical Composition

Water

Calcium

Sodium

Chloride

Phosphorus

Potassium

93-95 gm/100ml

-

144 mEq/L

106 mEq/L

-

-

Values are for plasma, except
where noted

Magnesium

Cholesterol

Glucose

Serum Protein

Albumin

Globulin

1.9-2.5 mg/100 ml

-

88.9-97.3 mg/100ml

-

-

-

Oxygen Consumption and Body Temperature

Observed
Weight

Temp-
erature

Oxygen Consumption

Breathing Rate

Heart Beat

120 gm

38 °C

-

74/minute
(33-127)

450/minute
(300-600)

Hematological Values

Whole Blood Volume
(T-1824 dye)

Clotting Time

RBC Life Span

RBC Diameter

RBC Rate of
Sedimentation

85 ml/kg

143 sec.

-

-

2 mm/hr

Blood pH

RBC

Hematocrit

Platelets

Hb

7.39

4.0-10.0 10⁶/mm³

49 ml/100ml

160-516 10³/mm³

12.0 gm/100ml

Total and Differential White Blood Cell Counts

Leucocytes

Neutros

Eosinos

Basos

Lymphos

Monos

-

-

-

-

-

-

Life Cycle Information

Weight
Adult Male

Weight
Adult Female

Weight
at Birth

Breeding Age Male

Breeding Age Female

Estrus
Cycle

85-100 gm

95-120 gm

2 gm

2 months
85-100 gm

2 months
95-120 gm

4 days, variations
4-15 days

Gestation

Weaning Age

Litter Size

Rebreed After Parturition

Breeding Life Male

Breeding Life Female

16 days, variations
15-19 days

20-24 days
35 gm

6-10

4-6 days

1 year

10-12months
(4-5 litters)

Mating Data: Pair

*

Refer to the "Guide for the Care and use of Laboratory Animals" - NIH Publication No. 85-23, Revised 1985.

Prepared by the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418