The Animal Behaviour and Physiology Core facility was established in 2009 and provides a state-of-the-art facility equipped to serve as a time-efficient and cost-effective service for researchers in need of mouse and rat behavioural analyses.

Our tests

Test Name 

Equipment in Core 

Species Availability 

Maximum Animals Tested Simultaneously 

Elevated Plus Maze 

Mice and rats 

One animal per trial. 

Forced Swim Test 

Mice 

Up to 2 animals tested simultaneously 

Learned Helplessness Test 

  • Hardware and Software: Med Associates Inc. 

Mice 

Up to 4 animals tested simultaneously. 

Light-Dark Test 

  • Hardware and Software: Activity Monitor system by Med Associates Inc. 

Mice 

Up to 4 animals tested simultaneously. 

Novelty Suppressed Feeding 

Mice and rats 

Up to 4 animals tested simultaneously. 

Open Field 

Mice and rats 

Up to 4 animals tested simultaneously. 

Sucrose Preference 

  • Hardware: Rubber stopper sippers by Fisherbrand 

Mice and rats 

Up to 45 animals tested simultaneously. 

Tail Suspension 

Mice 

Up to 4 animals tested simultaneously. 

Contact us

Faculty of Medicine Animal Behaviour and Physiology Core

Room 2538, Roger Guindon Hall (RGH),
451 Smyth Road,
Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada

Office: 613-562-5800 Ext: 8621
Manager: Kerstin Ure, PhD
Email: [email protected]