Sentry SPP™ Rat Sealed Positive Pressure Cage

Sentry SPP™ Rat Sealed Positive Pressure Cage – Sealed Positive-Pressure IVC Cage for Germ-Free and Gnotobiotic Rats

The Sentry SPP™ Rat is a sealed, positive-pressure (SPP) individually ventilated cage for rats that provides the germ-controlled environment traditionally found only in isolators. It is designed for research involving axenic (germ-free) or gnotobiotic rodents and combines the secure, positive-pressure protection of isolators with the ease and flexibility of an Allentown IVC. Certified cage-level HEPA supply filtration keeps the microenvironment clean, and the gasketed cage remains sealed when it is removed from the rack.

Watering is provided via a water bottle (Cat. no. 231434-1 is designed for bottle watering only).

Key Features

• Patented four-point seal (US Patent 6,308,660): when a cage is removed, both the cage and the rack remain sealed from the room
• Standard certified cage-level HEPA supply filtration and cage-level exhaust filtration
• Gasketed cage lid maintains the sealed microenvironment when the cage is removed from the rack
• Docking indicator on every rack slot alerts the operator to improperly docked cages
• Ergonomic cage locks provide consistent pressure along the entire cage perimeter; the locks flip up for tunnel washing
• Clear polysulfone cage and flip-up cardholders for easy observation
• Animal welfare checks without fully removing the cage from the rack
• Compact nesting and stacking for efficient autoclaving
• At least 10 hours of rack battery backup, with blower redundancy, wireless monitoring, and alarms

How to Complete the Sentry SPP Rat Cage Set

The Sentry SPP™ Rat Sealed Positive Pressure Cage is supplied as a complete cage with the following components:

1. Sentry SPP Rat cage assembly (cage bottom)

2. Top: Standard Filter Top Assembly with a gasket and ergonomic cage locks

3. Wire bar lid: Full Pocket Wire Bar Lid (food capacity: 771 g)

4. 450 mL water bottle

5. Choose a cardholder: vertical or horizontal (each for 76 × 102 mm or 76 × 127 mm cage cards)

6. Filters: Intra-Cage HEPA Filter (Supply), Intra-Cage Extract Filter, and Extract Filter Housing

Housing Capacity According to Directive 2010/63/EU

Maximum number of animals per cage, based on the minimum floor area per animal set out in Directive 2010/63/EU:

• Up to 4 rats weighing 200 g or less
• Up to 3 rats weighing over 200 g and up to 300 g
• Up to 2 rats weighing over 300 g and up to 400 g
• Up to 2 rats weighing over 400 g and up to 600 g

Applications of the Sentry SPP™ Rat Cage

• Housing of axenic (germ-free) and gnotobiotic rats as an alternative to isolators
• Microbiome research with defined microbiota in rat models
• Immunocompromised rat models requiring a highly protected microenvironment