Abstract: In an apparatus for raising experimental animals, a cage for confining animals is placed in a received position within a cage rack. The cage includes a casing and a lid separate from the casing, for closing an open top of the casing. Slide rails are mounted to the cage rack for sliding the casing of the cage in a guiding direction to the received position within the cage rack. Downwardly concave leaf springs are mounted to the cage rack for resiliently depressing the upper surface of the lid of the cage toward the slide rails for positively holding the lid and the casing against movement when the cage is in the received position.

Abstract: A cage well suited for confining and rearing mice, rats and like relatively small animals in a germ free, hygienic atmosphere for experimentation purposes. Included is a boxlike casing with its open top closed by a wirework inner lid and further hermetically closed by a solid outer lid. A water dispenser for feeding the confined animal has a spout extending into the casing through a clearance hole in its wall. For connecting the spout to the casing and for hermetically closing the clearance hole, an elastic connector cup is fitted over the spout and held against the outer surface of the casing wall. An air supply conduit for supplying germ free air into the casing, and an exhaust conduit for drawing air from within the casing, both extending into the casing through additional clearance holes defined therein, also have similar connector cups mounted thereon. All the clearance holes can be hermetically sealed simply as the connector cups are relatively pressed against the casing.