Abstract: An improvement in a cage for small animals or the like having a perforate bottom to allow wastes to be dropped by gravity exteriorly of the cage, a continuous periphery of walls, and a top, characterized by a continuous belt traversing beneath the perforate bottom and contiguous to a scraper and waste collector, and through a cleaning pan adjacent steam-cleaning passageways for cleaning. The belt has motive apparatus comprised of a plurality of gears and belt moving roller connected to an animal-powered wheel to move the belt when the animal runs or walks in the wheel. Also disclosed are specific preferred embodiments including having one of the gears in a gear train movable responsive to movement of a fulcrum lever to disengage the belt from the animal wheel; and having a supplemental belt moving apparatus to move the belt as desired.

Abstract: An improved cage for rodents or the like that facilitates maintenance and care and is adapted for use in a battery, characterized by perforate floors, a plurality of spaced apart apertures in one of the accessible upstanding walls and a water bottle that has supports adapted to fit the spaced apart apertures, has a vacuum sealing lid that can be readily lifted from or snapped into place to allow quick refilling and provide the water only on demand to the interior of the cage. The battery of cages has a belt that traverses both beneath one tier of cages and above the next lower tier for protection of occupants of the lower tier from wastes. The belt is washed and disinfected and has a unique construction. Also disclosed are additional embodiments and details of construction forming a preferred embodiment of this invention.