Temperature and Humidity

The Guide has defined requirements for the proper maintenance of laboratory animals. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity must be carefully monitored because they affect metabolism and behavior. Improper temperature and humidity levels may adversely affect research results. Relative humidity should be maintained at 30-70%. The following table, taken from the Guide, shows the recommended temperature for commonly used laboratory animals. As can be seen, there is a marked difference in temperatures recommended for various species. DLAM is responsible for maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity in the vivarium. Principal Investigators with study areas must monitor the temperature and humidity on a daily basis to ensure they are within the recommended range.

Recommended Dry-Bulb Temperature for Common Laboratory Animals