| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5737264 | Journal of Neuroscience Methods | 2017 | 5 Pages |
•Cost-effective mouse automated homecage weighing using RFID and load cell.•Open-source, cross platform modular code in python.•Can be integrated in custom behavioural assessments, supports 10 group housed mice.
BackgroundOperant training systems make use of water or food restriction and make it necessary to weigh animals to ensure compliance with experimental endpoints. In other applications periodic weighing is necessary to assess drug side-effects, or as an endpoint in feeding experiments. Periodic weighing while essential can disrupt animal circadian rhythms and social structure.New methodAutomatic weighing system within paired mouse homecages. Up to 10 mice freely move between two cages (28 × 18 × 9 cm) which were connected by a weighing chamber mounted on a load cell. Each mouse was identified using an RFID tag placed under the skin of the neck. A single-board computer (Raspberry Pi; RPi) controls the task, logging RFID tag, load cell weights, and time stamps from each RFID detection until the animal leaves the chamber. Collected data were statistically analyzed to estimate mouse weights. We anticipate integration with tasks where automated imaging or behaviour is assessed in homecages.ResultsMice frequently move between the two cages, an average of 42+-16 times/day/mouse at which time we obtained weights. We report accurate determination of mouse weight and long term monitoring over 53 days.Comparison with existing methods Although commercial systems are available for automatically weighing rodents, they only work with single animals, or are not open source nor cost effective for specific custom application.ConclusionsThis automated system permits automated weighing of mice ∼40 times per day. The system employs inexpensive hardware and open-source Python code.
