Lab rats are typically kept in cages, often with a few companions, although they frequently lack environmental enrichment objects.
Based on common practices, and referencing information from sources like the provided text, lab rats are housed in environments designed to facilitate research while aiming to meet some basic needs.
Housing Conditions for Lab Rats
- Cage Size: While lab mice are commonly kept in shoebox-sized cages, the living space for lab rats is typically about doubled. This provides a larger area relative to their body size compared to mice.
- Social Environment: Lab rats are often housed together with a few squeaky companions. This social grouping is intended to satisfy the animals' social needs, as rats are naturally social creatures.
- Environmental Enrichment: Despite being housed socially, most laboratory housing lacks any sort of environmental enrichment objects to occupy the subjects. Environmental enrichment can include items that allow for natural behaviors like exploring, climbing, or gnawing.
These conditions represent the standard housing environment in many research facilities, balancing the needs for controlled experimental variables with the welfare of the animals.
