Animal Husbandry
The main task of our animal house is to house, care for and breed all animals. In addition to the typical laboratory species of mice and rats, we also breed and keep the "exotic" bearded dragons, octopuses and naked mole rats. Almost all of the animals used in our experiments were born or hatched in our animal facility. The breeding and selection of animals is done in close collaboration between the scientists and the animal house team.
Our Mice (Rodents)
Our mice are housed in plastic cages with free access to food and water. Each cage is equipped with wooden bedding and small houses and tubes for retreat. Plenty of nesting material (cotton, paper, cardboard) helps with thermoregulation and provides hiding places and activity. Whenever possible, animals are kept in groups to meet their social needs. They are maintained under constant conditions of temperature, humidity, and light. For more information on the mouse as a model organism, please click here.
Our Rats (Rodents)
Our rats are housed in high plastic cages with a raised platform. This allows the animals to perform species-typical standing and climbing behaviors. The rats also have free access to food and water, and each cage is equipped with wooden bedding. In addition, tubes or houses provide hiding places, paper towels keep the animals occupied and serve as nesting material, and wooden balls or sticks provide additional play and gnawing opportunities. Whenever possible, animals are kept in groups and under constant temperature, humidity and light conditions.
Our Bearded Dragons (Reptiles)
Our Bearded Dragons live in specially designed plastic terrariums. The optimal temperature is crucial for the well-being of the reptiles, so each terrarium is equipped with a UV lamp, a heat lamp and an LED lamp, which are separately electronically controlled. Cardboard houses, stones and cork bark are used for hiding and climbing. Bearded dragons are fed a variety of insects, lettuce and dried herbs. Each animal has an individualized diet. Hibernation takes place in wine refrigerators at optimal temperature and humidity. After successful mating, the females lay eggs in a moist sandbox and the eggs are incubated in special incubators.
Our Squids (Cephalopods - Cephalopods)
As marine creatures, our cuttlefish require specially designed aquariums and facilities. Away from the ocean, artificial seawater and sophisticated filtration systems ensure optimal water quality to meet the animals' needs. Important water parameters are constantly monitored so that immediate action can be taken in the event of deviations. We currently keep the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis in cooler systems and the tropical dwarf cuttlefish Euprymna berryi in separate warmer systems. As camouflage artists, the daily observation of the animals requires a lot of time and practice. In addition to changes in color and surface structure, the animals also use the sand used as substrate in each aquarium for camouflage. In addition, all tanks are equipped with hiding places (artificial plants, small houses, etc.). Young animals are fed with live food only, older animals with dead food.
Our Naked Mole-Rats (Rodents)
Our naked mole rats live in colonies of varying sizes and are the only known "eusocial" mammalian species. The first naked mole rats were imported to Frankfurt in 2022 as the newest inhabitants of our animal facility. Ventilated animal enclosures were converted for the naked mole rats and equipped with heating plates and temperature and humidity sensors. A humidifier provides the 60-100% humidity required by the naked mole rats, which is continuously monitored along with the temperature. The custom-built circular cages are connected by a system of pipes that can extend over several floors. The animals are fed fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
Quality Standards and Control
The high quality standards of animal care and experimentation are constantly monitored by our animal welfare officer. The animal welfare officer is supported by an internal animal welfare committee.
Proper housing of non-traditional laboratory animal species presents unique challenges and requires ongoing efforts to improve animal welfare. A great deal of experience, dedication and effort is required from the early planning stages through to use in research. The establishment of our unique bearded dragon colony alone has been a long-term process that has been successfully implemented by many dedicated staff and continuous improvements. Thanks to this support, we have been able to effectively implement new routines and improvements at any time.