JP3188668B2 - Rodent darkroom unit case and breeding cage using it - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a rodent darkroom.
The present invention relates to a unit case and a rearing cage using the same .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to breed rodents such as rats, hamsters, squirrels and the like in ordinary households, breeding cages in which bird cages are strengthened are used. This kind of breeding cage is generally one size larger than a bird cage, such as a two-story breeding cage.

[0003] By the way, many rodents have a habit of forming a burrow in the ground or in a tree trunk in the natural world. This is for the purpose of protecting against external enemies and obtaining heat insulation. However, there is no risk of being attacked by enemies in the rearing cage, and it is common for the heat retention to be maintained at a comfortable temperature together with the room temperature. Often there was no place to hide.

[0004] In special circumstances, for example, when rodents are breeding, virtual grounds are formed on the floor of the breeding cage with bark, sawdust, straw, cloth, etc.
In some cases, rodents were allowed to dive, but if they were left as they were, they would not come out of the virtual ground even after breeding had ended, and could not be enjoyed.
The virtual ground was usually removed from the cage as soon as it was no longer needed.

[0005]

The conventional breeding cage is
In the first place, because it is for the purpose of watching, it is possible to see the inside from all around, all sky, but for rodents, this is a great stress,
There are drawbacks that quarrels between friends frequently occur, illness, anorexia, etc. occur, and fertility decreases.

However, if the virtual ground is formed in the breeding cage as described above, the rodent can live a life close to nature, but the ornamental property is impaired. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can provide a living environment close to nature to rodents, and may impair ornamental properties for the breeding side. A dark room unit, a unit case, and a rearing cage for use in a rodent rearing cage that can observe not only a rodent's life form that is difficult to normally see but also a hardly visible one. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the following technical measures have been taken in order to achieve the above object. That is, in the dark room unit housed in the case according to the present invention, the unit main body is formed with a groove-shaped passage recess opening toward the front portion thereof, and communicates with the passage recess. Is formed with a passage opening extending to the side surface.

In this dark room unit, a transparent plate (eg, glass or resin plate) is provided at the front portion where the passage recess opens, so that the passage recess is formed as a hole or cave extending from the passage opening to the back. Can be a closed space. Therefore, by placing the darkroom unit directly or in a state according to the present invention in the case in which the unit is housed, for example, in a conventional breeding cage, or by connecting the darkroom unit to the breeding cage, the inside of the passage recess is connected. It can be used as a false burrow for dentists.

[0009] In this case, it is preferable to provide a dead room in a branched shape in the passage recess. In particular, if this small room is provided with three or four, if a rodent makes a nest, it will sleep, excrete, raise children, eat and store food. It is possible to cope with the habit of providing separate places and the like.

[0010] It should be noted that the passage recesses and especially the small chambers should be formed by incorporating a large amount of components directed downward with respect to the passage opening, so as to adapt to the habit of rodents entering burrows. In other words, it is easy to invite.

The case according to the present invention used for housing the dark room unit has an observation surface portion which can correspond to a front portion (a surface where a passage recess is opened) of the dark room unit housed therein. And a partition surface portion that can correspond to the side surface portion (the surface where the passage opening is opened). The observation surface is provided with a window capable of observing the inside of the passage recess of the darkroom unit, and is provided with a light shielding member capable of covering or opening this window.
In addition, an entrance / exit portion that matches the passage opening of the darkroom unit is provided on the partition surface.

In this case, if the window is covered with the light-shielding member, the inside of the passage recess of the darkroom unit can be darkened, so that the rodent is less likely to be alert and easier to lure. In other words, it is possible to allow rodents to live a living environment close to nature with peace of mind. In addition, if the light-blocking member is removed from the window as required, and the state is opened, the rodent that has entered the passage recess can be observed.

The light shielding member includes a door structure (opening / closing structure of a plate material), a shutter structure, a blind curtain structure,
A roll curtain structure or the like can be used. When the darkroom unit is housed in the case as described above, it is possible to adopt a structure in which a transparent plate is provided for the darkroom unit or a structure in which a transparent plate is provided for the observation surface portion of the case. It is. Conversely, if the darkroom unit is used alone without using this case, etc.,
The darkroom unit may be provided with the above-mentioned light shielding member in addition to the transparent plate.

If the darkroom unit is made detachable from the case, a plurality of different darkroom units having different shapes such as the shape of the recessed passage and the number, arrangement, and size of the small chambers must be prepared in advance. As a result, it becomes possible to assemble an arbitrary passage pattern by exchanging them. The breeding cage for rodents according to the present invention has a configuration including the above-described case and an ornamental enclosure connected to a partition surface side of the case and capable of forming an exercise space around the doorway. ing.

For example, in the case, the observation surface portion is made to be an upright surface, the partition surface portion (the surface on which the entrance is provided) is made to be the upper surface, and the whole is formed in the shape of a divergent base that is enlarged downward. The structure may be such that an ornamental box formed of, for example, a basket or a transparent container is placed on the upper side of the case. In such a structure, a lower case (in which a darkroom unit is housed) is provided while securing an exercise space for rodents by an ornamental enclosure provided on the upper side.
It is possible to provide a burrow formed underground by the inside of the nest, and it is possible to create an environment very close to the natural world.

The nest formed on the trunk of the tree or the like by the inside of the case can be formed by connecting the case and the ornamental enclosure in a vertical relationship opposite to the above or by connecting them in the left-right direction. A hole can be given.
These may be appropriately selected according to the habit of the rodent to be bred, and are not limited.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 6 and 7, Ke according to the present invention
1 shows a darkroom unit 1 housed in a base 2 . 3 to 5 show a case 2 according to the present invention configured by housing the dark room unit 1 therein. 1 and 2 show a rearing cage 5 according to the present invention, which is constituted by including the case 2 and the ornamental enclosure 3.

Hereinafter, the breeding cage 5 as the whole configuration will be described.
The first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 will be described with reference to FIG. The ornamental box 3 (refer mainly to FIG. 1) has a peripheral wall 3a and a ceiling 3b woven in a grid or mesh by wire material. There is provided an entrance 8 which can be used. Through the entrance 8, the water container 7, the rodents, the food, the playground equipment, the grass, etc. (all not shown) are placed in the ornamental box 3.
Can be put in and out.

The case 2 (mainly shown in FIG. 3) is formed in a flared trapezoidal shape which is enlarged toward the lower side, and has a top surface having a size capable of entirely supporting the ornamental enclosure 3. Have. The top surface portion is a partition surface portion 10 in the sense that it forms a floor surface of an exercise space formed in the ornamental enclosure 3. The partition surface portion 10 is provided with a peripheral wall 11 surrounding the outer periphery at a predetermined height. The lower edge frame 3c of the ornamental enclosure 3 can be laterally fitted to a pair of the peripheral walls 11 facing each other. Lifting prevention piece 1
2 are provided.

Therefore, the lower edge frames 3c facing each other in the ornamental box 3 are bent close to each other (inward) within the elastic range, and are bent vertically between the partition surface portion 10 and the floating prevention piece 12 in the case 2. The ornamental enclosure 3 can be connected to the case 2 by being inserted into the space and elastically restored to return the curvature. At this time, the peripheral wall 11
Is useful not only to prevent rattling of the ornamental box 3 and to improve the appearance by hiding the joint between the two, but also to spread excrement, food, hair loss, etc. of rodents out of the cage. It also has a beneficial effect in preventing it from being scattered.

That is, the peripheral wall 11 and the partition surface 10 are
The conventional breeding cage also serves as a receiving part that is indispensable at the bottom thereof. In other words, in the present embodiment, the need for the receiving part (reduction in the number of parts and simplification of the structure) is reduced. It has the advantage of trying. In Case 2, at least one surface of the peripheral wall is an observation surface portion 15, and the observation surface portion 15 includes:
Two windows 16 opening in a square shape are provided adjacent to each other. In addition, two entrances 17 corresponding to each window 16 are formed on the partition surface 10 near the observation surface 15. The above-described dark room unit 1 is housed and arranged at an inner corner of the case 2 formed by the back side of each window 16 and the lower side of each entrance 17.

The observation surface portion 15 is provided with a plate-shaped light shielding member 19 which is held so as to be swingable about a swing axis along a lower side thereof. The light-shielding member 19 is formed of an opaque material. If the light-shielding member 19 is raised to follow the observation surface portion 15, it can cover both windows 16 to prevent light from entering. To allow light to enter.

When the light-shielding member 19 is upright, the engagement projections 20 provided on both side edges of the light-shielding member 19 are held by engaging with the holder 21 having a lateral opening provided on the observation surface 15 side. It has a structure. Further, the light shielding member 19 is provided with a knob piece 22 protruding to the front side to facilitate the swing operation of the light shielding member 19. By the way, in the present embodiment, two dark room units 1 are stored in the case 2 and the above-described window 16
Each of the darkroom units 1 is provided with a window 16 and an entrance / exit 17 in each of the two darkroom units 1.
This is to make them correspond one by one. In this embodiment, each darkroom unit 1 can be attached to and detached from the case 2.

For this reason, the two darkroom units 1 are positioned side by side in the positioning recesses 27 provided in the support 26 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, positioning pieces 29 and 30 for regulating the back position and the left and right positions of the two darkroom units 1 are provided on the back surface of the partition surface portion 10, and a support is provided on the back surface of the outer peripheral skirt portion 28. The positioning pieces 31 and 32 for regulating the front / rear position of 26 are provided. Then, the support 26 is structured to be fixed to the back side of the outer peripheral skirt 28 by screws 33 as shown in FIG.

The dark room unit 1 (mainly shown in FIG. 6) has a unit body 36 having a square disk shape, and a transparent cover 37 provided on a front portion 36a of the unit body 36. The unit main body 36 has a tapered shape such that all four side portions 36b around the front portion 36a expand outward. This is because the observation surface 15 of the case 2 is slightly inclined from the direction perpendicular to the partition 10 as shown in FIG.
6a and the side portion 36b facing upward are in surface contact.

The fact that the unit body 36 is tapered (that is, the four side surfaces 36b are all inclined) and that the front surface 36a of the unit body 36 is square is that This is a measure for arbitrarily turning the darkroom unit 1 sideways so that it can be used. And in order to adapt to such a situation, the above-mentioned positioning recess 27 of the support 26 is also provided with an inclination such that it gradually becomes deeper from the front side to the rear side.

Further, between the two adjacent dark room units 1 arranged on the support 26, there are side portions 36 facing each other.
A wedge-shaped spacer member 38 capable of abutting on b is interposed. The spacer member 38 is formed with a notch 38a which can be fitted to a passage opening 40 described later provided for the darkroom unit 1, and this notch 3
A connection frame 38b that can be inserted into the passage opening 40 of at least one of the darkroom units 1 is provided at the end of the door 8a.

The unit body 36 has a front part 3
A groove-shaped passage recess 39 that opens toward 6a is formed. As shown in an example in FIG. 7, the passage concave portion 39 is formed to meander or branch on the way to resemble a burrow made by a rodent in the ground or the like. Then, at least one side surface portion 36b of the unit main body 36 (three side surface portions 36b in the illustrated example) is connected to the passage opening 40.
Through it.

The passage opening 40 is arranged at the center of the side surface portion 36b in view of enabling the dark room unit 1 to be turned sideways as described above. In the middle of the passage recess 39, a dead room 41 which is a dead end is provided in a branched manner. In addition, the passage opening 40
Are provided with small slits 43 facing each other on both sides of the groove-shaped opening edge, and a small square hole 4 is formed at the bottom of the groove.
4 are provided. These can be used as passage openings 4
This is for inserting and holding the sealing plate 46 in the inner space 0. The sealing plate 46 is provided with an engaging claw 46a fitted in the slit portion 43 and a stab claw 46b fitted in the square hole 44. I have.

That is, as described above, the dark room unit 1 can be arbitrarily selected in the direction in which the dark room unit 1 is placed with respect to the support 26 (the direction in which the dark room unit 1 is turned to the side). The blocking plate 46 makes the passage opening 40 impractical for those not used or for which there is a risk of escape from rodents if the opening is open.

In such a darkroom unit 1, the front portion 36 a is connected to the observation surface portion 15 inside the case 2.
And any one of the side surfaces 36b (the surface on which the passage opening 40 is provided) of the case 2
When the light is stored in the observation surface 15 of the case 2 by opening the light blocking member 19, the observation inside the passage recess 39 of the darkroom unit 1 is opened through the window 16. In the partition surface 10 of the case 2, the entrance 17 is provided with the passage 40.
It is possible to pass in accordance with.

Therefore, when breeding rodents using the breeding cage 5, not only can the rodents not only watch the rodents move around in the ornamental enclosure 3 but also the rodents can admire the darkroom unit 1. By gently opening the light-blocking member 19 when entering the inside, it is possible to observe the state of eating, sleeping, breeding, raising children, and the like.

[0033] From the above, the observer has excellent ornamental properties, and since a rodent can live in an environment close to nature, it is less likely to cause stress. , Anorexia, and a decrease in fertility can be prevented. FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the breeding cage 5 according to the present invention. In this second embodiment, the ornamental enclosure 3 has a two-story configuration.

With such a configuration, the exercise space of the rodent is widened, so that the exercise amount can be increased, and the effect of further promoting the release of stress can be obtained. Also, the viewer can watch the rodents exercising for a longer period of time, and, for example, enter a playground equipment or a ladder into the ornamental enclosure 3 (both not shown).
Is added, so that the amusement of the ornament can be further brought out.

In addition, this configuration has an advantage that the floor area occupied by the breeding cage 5 is not increased. FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the breeding cage 5 according to the present invention. In the case 2, the darkroom unit 1 is housed not only on the front side but also on the back side. . The interior of each of these darkroom units 1 is not in communication.

With such a configuration, it is possible to provide a unique territory that is not infringed to each of two groups of rodents (for example, two families) of the same species. FIG. 10 shows a fourth view of the breeding cage 5 according to the present invention.
In the embodiment, a case 2 is provided above an ornamental box 3.

With such a configuration, the darkroom unit 1 housed in the case 2 corresponds to a burrow formed in a trunk of a tree or the like. Can be suitably used. Needless to say, in the fourth embodiment, although not shown, the entrance 17 is provided on the lower surface of the case 2 and the passage 40 of the darkroom unit 1 is arranged in the same direction. In addition, a receiving portion 50 for receiving excrement, food, hair loss and the like of a rodent is required below the ornamental box 3.

FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment of the breeding cage 5 according to the present invention, in which a case 2 is provided on the side of the ornamental enclosure 3. The purpose of use and the like are substantially the same as in the fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 shows an embodiment in which the breeding cage 53 is configured by setting the dark room unit 1 according to the present invention as it is inside the ornamental enclosure 3. In this embodiment, the light shielding member 19 is provided directly on the front part of the dark room unit 1.

The light-shielding member 19 can be provided on the peripheral wall of the ornamental box 3. In this case, the light-shielding member 19 is provided.
The darkroom unit 1 may be fixed to the ornamental enclosure 3 or the like in an arrangement corresponding to the position where is closed. The breeding cage 53 having such a configuration is partially common to the breeding cage 5 according to the present invention only by forming an opening 54 for providing the light shielding member 19 in a part of the peripheral wall or the like of the conventional breeding cage. There is an advantage that the effect of doing is obtained.

Also in this case, it is possible to provide a case (not shown) in the darkroom unit 1 only for the purpose of storing the same. Further, although not shown, if the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is referred to as “internal” of the darkroom unit 1, it is also possible to “outside” the darkroom unit 1. In this case, it is necessary to arrange the passage opening 40 provided in the dark room unit 1 toward the peripheral wall side of the ornamental box 3 (from outside to inside).
It is necessary to provide an opening that matches this passage opening 40.

FIG. 13 shows a modification of the darkroom unit 1. In this case, the darkroom unit 1 includes a transparent cover 37.
A ventilation portion 51 having a large number of ventilation holes 50 arranged in the upper portion thereof is provided so that moisture or hot air (especially in summer) in the passage recess 39 (particularly, the small room portion 41) is discharged to the outside. ing.

That is, moisture or hot air (especially in summer) tends to accumulate in the darkroom unit 1 due to excretion of rodents in the small room section 41 and the like. It is desired that the inside of the recess 39 has a slight ventilation effect. Therefore, in this modification, the transparent cover 3
A ventilation part 51 is formed on the upper part of the passage 7 to improve the ventilation effect in the passage recess 39.

On the other hand, since rodents have the habit of biting things as the name implies, the ventilation holes 37 are formed in the transparent cover 37 corresponding to places where rodents are easily accessible (for example, the small compartment 41). If provided, there is a possibility that the transparent cover 37 may be damaged early due to the hole portion being bitten. For this reason, in this modification, the transparent cover 37 which is hard to reach by rodents is used.
The ventilation part 51 is arranged on the upper part of. Also,
The ventilation part 51 is constituted by a large number of small-diameter ventilation holes 50 in order to prevent the transparent cover 37 from being bitten as much as possible by making the small-diameter holes through which the rodent's teeth cannot easily pass.

FIG. 14 shows a modified example of the breeding cage 5 for improving the ventilation effect. Rearing cage 5 in this case
Is a horizontally elongated slit 52 at the upper end edge of the light shielding member 19.
Are provided in the width direction so that moisture or hot air (especially in summer) released from the ventilation portion 51 of the dark room unit 1 is further released to the outside air. I have.

It is to be noted that the ventilation part 53 of the light-shielding member 19 is constituted by the slit 52 because a rodent does not come into contact with the light-shielding member 19 and it is unlikely that the light-shielding member 19 will bite the member. This is to improve ventilation efficiency. The reason why the ventilation portion 53 is provided at the upper end edge of the light shielding member 19 is as follows.
This is to prevent light from entering from the slit 52 to the dark room unit 1 side when the light shielding member 19 is closed.

Since other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to FIGS. 13 and 14 and the description of the structure is omitted.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the dark room unit 1
As described in the embodiment, the use of two for one case 2 is not limited, and only one or three
It is also possible to form more than one piece, or to form one large piece corresponding to two pieces shown in the first embodiment.

The material of the dark room unit 1 and the case 2 is not limited at all. However, if the unit main body 36 of the darkroom unit 1 is formed of wood (particularly woody material preferred by rodents), the rodent may sharpen it for tooth sharpening, or may cut the groove wall of the passage recess 39 by itself. Can be cut into a convenient shape, and a more comfortable life can be achieved. In many cases, the habit of rodents does not seem to be excessively sharpened so that the habitability deteriorates. However, when the darkroom unit 1 is made of wood, the unit main body 36 is used just in case. It is preferable to cover the side surface portion 36b, the back surface portion, and the like with metal, hard resin, or the like.

[0049]

As is apparent from the above description, the darkroom unit used for the rodent animal breeding cage according to the present invention has a groove-shaped passage recess which can enter and exit through a passage opening. Thus, the inside of this passage recess can be used as a pseudo burrow for rodents. Therefore, there is an advantage that a living environment close to nature can be given to rodents, and fighting among fellows due to stress, illness, anorexia, decrease in fertility, and the like can be prevented.

Further, since the passage recess is open on the front side of the unit main body, it is possible to see the rodent that has entered the recess, and the appreciation is not impaired. Observe not only the rodent's life forms that are usually difficult to see, for example, how the rodents eat, sleep, breed, and raise children There is an advantage that can be.

If the small chambers which are dead ends with respect to the passage recesses are provided in a branched shape, they can be formed as a pseudo-burrow which is more natural and comfortable for rodents. Can be provided. The case according to the present invention used for housing the dark room unit has an observation surface portion enabling observation of the passage concave portion of the dark room unit, and the observation surface portion darkens the inside of the passage concave portion of the dark room unit as necessary. Since the light-shielding member is provided, the rodent can be safely guided into the passage recess without giving a caution to the rodent, and a living environment close to nature can be provided.

By opening the light blocking member, a rodent that has entered the passage recess can be observed. If the darkroom unit is made detachable with respect to the case, a plurality of types of darkroom units having different shapes such as the shape of the passage recess and the number of formed small chambers, the arrangement, and the size are prepared in advance. By exchanging, an arbitrary passage pattern can be assembled.

Since the rodent breeding cage according to the present invention has the above-described case and an ornamental enclosure that can be connected to this case, the ornamental enclosure allows the rodent animal to be kept. It is possible to give a life that looks like a burrow in the case (in the darkroom unit) while securing exercise space, and it is possible to create an environment very close to the natural world.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged side sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rearing cage according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a case of the present invention used in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the case of FIG. 3 upside down.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the case in which the dark room unit according to the present invention is removed from the state of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a darkroom unit according to the present invention housed in the case of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a unit main body in the dark room unit of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a third embodiment of the breeding cage according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a breeding cage according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a plan sectional view showing an example in which a rearing cage is configured using the dark room unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an assembled perspective view showing a modification of the darkroom unit.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a modification of the breeding cage.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 darkroom unit 2 cases. 3 Ornamental Box 5 Breeding Cage 10 Partition Surface 15 Observation Surface 16 Window 17 Doorway 19 Light-Shielding Member 36 Unit Body 36a Unit Body Front 36b Unit Body Side 39 Passage Recess 40 Passage 41 Small Room

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01K 1/03 A01K 67/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A rodent opening toward a front part (36a).
The eye animal passage recess (39) and the passage recess (39)
The passage opening (40) that communicates and exits to the side (36b) is shaped
A case in which a dark room unit (1) having a unit body (36) formed is housed inside, and a front portion (36) of the housed dark room unit (1) is provided.
a) The observation surface (15) and the side surface (3
6b), and a window (16) for observing the inside of the passage recess (39) of the darkroom unit (1) is provided on the observation surface (15). And a light-shielding member (19) that can cover and open the window (16). The partition surface (10) has a passage opening (4)
0) and to case for dark room unit rodents, wherein a doorway section for matching (17) is provided. 2. The rodent 's eye movement according to claim 1, wherein the darkroom unit (1) is detachable.
To case for darkroom unit of thing. 3. The case (2) according to claim 1 or 2,
And an ornamental enclosure (3) coupled to the partition (10) side of the case (2) and capable of forming an exercise space around the doorway (17). Animal breeding cage.