This is just a page about the common lab cages I've seen in Sweden, and which are often used by pet owners and breeders of small pets. There are two different lines of cages, the Swedish cages and the Makrolon cages. The Makrolon cages are the most common ones. These cages are very expensive to buy so people commonly have old and used cages, but that's fine, since they are extremely hard to break, especially the Makrolon cages. The cages on these photos were already old and used 25 years ago.
When I started working in a lab in 1980 this cage was used for a breeding pair of mice and their offspring. When I had been working some years this size of cage turned illegal and all the mice that lived in this cage moved into Makrolon II cages instead.
The Makrolon I cage is 23,5 cm long, 14 cm wide and 13 cm high, measured on the outside.
When I started working in a lab in 1980 this cage was also used for a breeding pair of mice and their offspring. I'm not sure if this size of cage is still in use anymore here in Sweden.
The Makrolon II cage is 26,5 cm long, 20,5 cm wide and 14,5 cm high, measured on the outside.
To the right is a photo of a Makrolon I cage beside a Makrolon II cage.
When I started working in a lab in 1980 we didn't have this kind of cage, if I remember correctly. This is a the common mouse cage in the labs of today, at least the ones I've been to.
The Makrolon III cage is 42 cm long, 26,5 cm wide and 15,5 cm high, measured on the outside.
To the right is a photo of a Makrolon I cage, a Makrolon II cage and a Makrolon III cage beside eachother.
When I started working in a lab in 1980 this cage was considered the biggest cage, and we only had a few. This was considered a rat cage.
The Makrolon IV cage is 60 cm long, 38 cm wide and 20 cm high, measured on the outside.
To the right is a photo of a Makrolon I cage, a Makrolon II cage, a Makrolon III cage and a Makrolon IV cage in the same photo.
When I started working in a lab in 1980 this cage was used for outcrossing - one male mouse from one strain and 2 to 4 females from another strain - or for keeping up to 10 adult mice of the same sex.
The small Swedish cage is 36 cm long, 26 cm wide and 12 cm high, measured on the top and on the outside.
When I started working in a lab in 1980 this cage was used for rats, both for keeping adult rats and for breeding. When used for breeding there was one or two females and one male that was kept with their offspring in this cage.
The big Swedish cage is 50,5 cm long, 36 cm wide and 17 cm high, measured on the top and on the outside.
Here is a photo of a small Swedish cage on top of a big Swedish cage. These are typically a mouse cage (the small cage) and a rat cage (the big cage).
Here's a photo of the big Swedish cage and the Makrolon IV cage. When you see these 2 cages together you might be able to imagine that from the animal keeper's point of view the Makrolon IV is too big, since it is too heavy, when you need to clean lots of cages every day.
I've been told that someone here in Sweden designed a new cage that is somewhere between these 2 in size, to be used for rats, to make sure animal keepers don't hurt their backs from lifting too much every day. I never saw that new cage though.
Here's a photo of the biggest Makrolon cage and a common pet cage from the pet shop. I know for sure which I would use for my small pets. I know since I use the white cage in this photo for my pets, that type of cage is commonly called "Dunabur" here in Sweden. (Since the Swedish word "bur" means cage that would make a "Duna cage" in English.) The Makrolon IV cages last much longer but is much heavier, smaller and much more expensive.
This Dunabur is 72 cm long, 46 cm wide and 32 cm high, measured on the outside.
Copyright: Eva Johansson.
Last update: 11th of August 2006.