Animal Welfare Regulations - (Apply to Pet Merchants Only)

Part 3 - Standards: Subpart B - Specifications For Handling, Care, Treatment, And Transportation Of Guinea Pigs, Hamsters And Other Rodents.

Section 3.28 Primary Enclosures

All primary enclosures for guinea pigs, hamsters and other rodents shall conform the following requirements.

1. General
   
   
   1. Primary enclosures shall be structurally sound and maintained in good repair to protect the guinea pigs, hamsters and other rodents from injury. Such enclosures, including their racks, shelving and other accessories, shall be constructed of smooth material substantially impervious to liquids and moisture.
      
      
   2. Primary enclosures shall be constructed and maintained so that the guinea pigs, hamsters or other rodents contained therein have convenient access to clean food and water as required in this subject.
      
      
   3. Primary enclosures having a solid floor shall be provided with clean bedding material.
      
      
   4. Primary enclosures equipped with mesh or wire floors shall be so constructed as to allow feces to pass through the spaces or the mesh or wire: Provided, however, that such floors shall be constructed so as to protect the animals feet and legs from injury.
      
      
2. Space requirements
   
   
   1. Guinea pigs, hamsters and other rodents. Primary enclosures shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide sufficient space for each animal contained therein to make normal postural adjustments with adequate freedom of movement.
      
      
   2. Guinea pigs. In addition to the provisions of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, the following space requirements are applicable to primary enclosures for guinea pigs.
      
      
      1. The interior height of any primary enclosure used to confine guinea pigs shall be at least 6½ inches.
         
         
      2. Each guinea pig housed in a primary enclosure shall be provided a minimum amount of floor space in accordance with the following table.
         
         

         Weigh or state of maturity	Minimum space per guinea pig (square inches)
         Weaning to 350 grams	60
         350 grams or more	90
         Breeders	180

         
         
         
   3. Hamsters. In addition to the provisions of subparagraph (1) of this paragraph the following space requirements are applicable to primary enclosures for hamsters.
      
      
      1. The interior height of any primary enclosure used to confine hamsters shall be at least 5 ½ inches, except that in the case of dwarf hamsters, such interior height shall be at least 5 inches.
         
         
      2. A nursing female hamster, together with her litter, shall be housed in a primary enclosure which contains no other hamsters and which provides at least 121 square inches of floor space: Provided however, that in the case of dwarf hamster such floor space shall be at least 25 square inches.
         
         
      3. The minimum amount of floor space per individual hamster and the maximum number of hamsters allowed in a single primary enclosure, except as provided for nursing females in subdivision (ii) of the subparagraph, shall be in accordance with the following table:
         
         
         
         
      4. The space requirements for rats shall be those required for guinea pigs. The space requirements for mice shall be those required for hamsters.