Standard Operating Procedures

Rodent Weaning

Last updated: January 27, 2012

I. Purpose
The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to define the Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) rodent weaning policy and procedure.

II. Responsibility
It is the responsibility of all animal users, including investigators, their technicians and LAR Staff to wean rodent pups at the proper time to avoid overcrowding in cages.

III. Weaning Policy

• All rodent pups must be weaned by 21 days after birth.
  • The gestation period is 21 days for mice and about 22 days for rats.
  • The day pups are born (found) is day 0, the next day is day 1.
  • Due to post-partum (after-birth) estrus, female mice and rats can deliver their next litter at the same time the previous litter is ready for weaning.
• A "Special Services Fee" will be assessed if the investigator chooses to have LAR staff perform rodent weans.
  • Service Fee forms are located on the clipboard on the door of each rodent room.
  • LAR staff will fill out the date, time, procedure, and their name on the form.
  • At the end of the month, the Service Fee form is given together with the cage census forms to the IACUC Coordinator and reviewed before being sent to Budge & Finance for billing.
• If 21 days pass after the birth date of the last litter and LAR staff has not been notified by the PI of special circumstances, LAR will wean the pups on day 22 and charge the Special Services Fee.
  • A s pecial circumstance in which weaning could be delayed by the PI includes low birth/development weights of certain strains of rodents  
• If "pups on pups" occurs, LAR staff will wean the older rodent pups immediately and assess the Special Services Fee.
  • This a voids cannibalism and overcrowding.
  • LAR staff will immediately notify the PI or his/her designated staff that a weaning has occurred in these circumstances.
• Animal users should notify LAR staff in advance if they choose to have them perform their weans.

III. Weaning Procudure

• Count pups to be weaned.
• Have enough clean cage set-ups to house all weaned pups.
• Separate pups by sex - males in one cage and females in another.
  • Place no more than 5 mice in one cage.
  • If there are more than 5 pups of one sex to be weaned, split the same sex pups evenly betwee 2 clean cages.
• Place a small handful of rodent chow in the bottom of the new cage and fill the hopper; add a water bottle.
• Always put a sticy note on the cage stating "RE-SEX".
• Put a cage card on cage.
  • Fill out appropriately: parents, date of birth, date of wean, sex, number in box, species, source, PI, and AUP number.
  • Use the appropriate cards for each investigator.
• Put cages onto their specified stock rack.