Columbus Instruments’ Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System for Waste Cages (CLAMS-WC) provides the most comprehensive picture of rodent voiding behavior. Systems are built on a semi-custom basis and can include any combination of the features listed below. Systems are easy to expand or upgrade with additional features later. This gives us the flexibility to meet the needs of any budget or any goal.

Waste collection with automated weight and event recording

CLAMS-WC cages are designed to maximize living space while minimizing the surface area of the funnel beneath the floor. Keeping the funnel surface area small ensures higher collection yield and more accurate measurements. A separator at the bottom allows collection of urine and feces in separate vials. Those vials can be placed atop precision load cells for automated scoring for weight and time-stamped events.

Mouse chamber dimensions:

• Livable area: 7 inches (17.75 cm) diameter, 5.625 inches (14.25 cm) ceiling height.
• Overall size with base and stand: 15 inches (38 cm) W, 11 inches (28 cm) D, 23 inches (58.4 cm) H.

Rat chamber dimensions:

• Livable area: 8 inches (20.3 cm) diameter, 5.125 inches (13 cm) ceiling height.
• Overall size with base and stand: 16 inches (40.6 cm) W, 11 inches (28 cm) D, 23 inches (68.6 cm) H.

Specimen freezing

Waste vials can alternatively be surrounded by a thermoelectric chiller to rapidly freeze the specimen, preserving it for later analysis. It is also possible to combine load cells and the chiller, albeit with reduced cooling capacity.

Food intake with side-feeder

Cages can be equipped with a side feeder of our own proprietary design. The feeder can house a load cell for automated feeding analysis. The feeder has some unique design features that nearly eliminates any food crumbs from falling down onto the funnel (where it would otherwise absorb urine or contaminate the specimen at the bottom).

‍Automated food access

‍The side-feeder can optionally be equipped with a servo motor and access door to control when the subject eats. This can be based on time, mass, or both. Yoked and paired feeding protocols are also supported.

‍Drink monitoring with volume and event recording

‍Our patented Volumetric Drinking Monitor is employed for this setup and is presented in a small side compartment, preventing any drips from falling down into the funnel. Water is delivered to the sipper on demand recording drinking volume to within 0.2µL.

‍Indirect calorimetry with Oxymax

The waste collection cages can be sealed air tight to allow for measurements of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, and energy expenditure. Our industry-leading Oxymax indirect calorimeter, with the most sensitive sensors in the market, can provide rapid, sequential data points despite the cage's large internal volume. Alternatively, cages can also be equipped with a continuous-sampling Oxymax-F.A.S.T. for true simultaneous measurements.

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‍Light controlled enclosure

‍Our specially designed cabinet isolates the subjects from the goings-on in the room. Our programmable LED lighting features adjustable timing, brightness, and even color.

Temperature and light controlled enclosure

‍Alternatively, systems can be housed within a temperature and light controlled enclosure. Most commonly employed for thermoneutral temperatures, or cold-challenging down to 5°C, our enclosure is specially designed to maintain tight temperature uniformity across the entire operating range.