Germinating a novel idea to rodent heat support (2025)

Glaspell, S., Welch Jernigan, R.

Abstract

An external heat source is frequently used to help rodents maintain optimal body temperature. The current gold standard for providing heat support to laboratory rodents is circulating warm water blankets. However, these come with certain drawbacks, including cost, the need for regular maintenance, reliance on distilled water, and the potential for leaks or equipment damage. In contrast, seed starter mats are equipped with thermostat controllers that allow temperature settings between 5 and 42 °C. Our study aimed to assess the effectiveness of seed starter mats in delivering consistent heat support compared to circulating warm water blankets. First, we assessed the surface temperature of the seed starter mat using an infrared thermometer. In the second phase of the study, we measured the internal temperature of the cages using environmental data loggers. Our findings indicate that the seed starter mat effectively warmed the cage surface within 40 min, reaching a stable temperature thereafter. Surface readings did not exceed 38°C and remained consistent across all sections of the mat. Additionally, the internal cage temperature varied by less than 2°C between the circulating warm water blanket and the seed starter mat. Our facility has been using seed starter mats for 7 years with no reported cases of thermal injury or stress in rodents.