Move From Water Bottles to In-Cage Automatic Water

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Move From Water Bottles to In-Cage Automatic
Water

• Problems
• Solutions

Julie Watson MA VetMB Dipl ACLAM
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Advantages

• Cage change every 2 weeks
• Less disturbance
• Breed better
• Less labor
• Dedicated air supply
• Disease control
• Reduced allergens

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Whats the Problem?
Auto Water Valve
Water Bottle

• Water drop absent
• New skill required -
• Grasp lever in teeth and push
• Size strength needed

• Water drop usually present
• Touch only required

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Strength required to work the valve Weanlings
have difficulty in working the valve 5g pressure
required to operate the valve
Weanling
Adult
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Mice Need to Learn New Skills Old mice
Singly-housed miceNeurological mutants
Often dont explore or learn new skills well!
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High Airflow Exacerbates Dehydration
50 Air Changes Per Hour
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Overnight Consequences of Water Deprivation
Balled-up
Hunchback seen prior to death
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Which Animals need to Transition to Automatic
Water?

• All animals previously on
• water bottles (May include
• vendor animals)
• All weanlings
• From microisolators
• From auto water

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SOP for Transition Period

• ADULTS
• Water bottle 2 weeks
• Remove bottle if full
• Monitor twice daily 2 days
• Monitor once daily 12 days
• Transport gel plus bottle
• if mice dehydrate

• WEANLINGS
• Water bottle 2 weeks if less than 4 weeks old or
  new to auto-water
• Remove bottle

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Repeat Once
TwoWeeks Water Bottle
Water Bottle Largely Full
Water Bottle Largely Empty
Remove water bottle 48-hour close observation 2
week daily observation
Fail twice, permanent water bottle
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Use the Auto Water Transition Cage Cards
Weanling card
Adult card
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Appearance of Auto Water Transition Card with
Cage Card
Designed to project above cage card
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Monitor closely twice daily for 2 days
Then daily until next cage change (2 weeks)
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For Signs of Dehydration

• Put transit gel in cage
• Replace water bottle
• Veterinary help if severely dehydrated

• 2 attempts to remove water bottle
• If fail twice, then permanent bottle
• use water bottle sticker to flag cage

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Animals that do not Transition-Check Food Supply
NOTE the water bottle takes up space normally
used for food. With large of mice in the cage,
food and water may need to be topped off before
the 2 week cage change
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Offspring Usually Transition to Auto-Water Even
if Parents Dont
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Additional Procedures to Prevent Problems

• Wean at 4 weeks
• bigger and more able to
• work the water valve

• ALWAYS use nest material
• - mitigates the effect of high
  air flow

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Summary Mice New to Auto Water

• Use water bottle first 2 weeks.
• Remove water bottle ONLY if largely full
• Monitor VERY closely (twice) for dehydration
  signs first 2 days, then daily until first cage
  change. Toggle lickers each time.
• Use Auto Water Transition cage cards
• Label cages with water bottle stickers and keep
  on water bottles if fail to transition twice

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Summary Weanlings

• If new to automatic water or under 4 weeks old,
  follow same protocol as adults new to automatic
  water ie water bottle first 2 weeks after
  weaning followed by close monitoring for 2 weeks.
• If already on auto water and at least 4 weeks
  old, use close-monitoring SOP only.
• Remember weanlings may have problems with
  STRENGTH and can dehydrate even after one week on
  automatic water.

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The End