| How do you calculate days gestation for a timed pregnant order? |
| Day 0 is recorded as the day virgin females are paired with proven breeder males for mating. Day 1 is considered the plug date or the morning after mating. When the plug is observed, males and females are separated. For more information, see our Pregnant Rodent Data Sheet. |
| What is your timed pregnant guarantee? |
| Please see the Pregnant Animal Policy section of our catalog for details. |
| Will all pregnant animals deliver on the same day? |
| No. Natural variation is normal and will occur between individuals, as well as between various stocks and strains. |
| Where do I find growth charts for rodents? |
| Please see the Research Models sections in our catalog. |
| What can I expect when ordering retired breeder rats and mice? |
- Animals will vary in age from 6-12 months. Retired females are tracked by the number of pregnancies and performance, not age. Males are retired due to poor performance or a maximum age of approximately 1 year. Dates of birth are not provided. However, for a 50% surcharge, approximate age can be calculated.
- Every effort is made to select good quality animals to fill orders. However, due to age and disposition of retired breeders, it is not unusual to see rough coats and scars, since they tend to fight when group housed.
- To eliminate fighting in transit, male retired breeders are packed in divided crates. Female retired breeders are packed in a standard crate unless a divided crate is requested.
- Female retired breeders may be pregnant. If females are required that are not pregnant, the order may be delayed so that pregnancy status can be determined.
- We cannot guarantee the reproductive performance of male or female retired breeders.
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| Is there a charge if I cancel my order? |
| No, unless one of the following applies to the order: the animals have already been packed (normally the day of shipment); surgery has been performed; or animals have already been bred at your request. If any of these pertain to your order, please contact a Customer Service Representative at 1-800-LAB-RATS to determine actual charges. |
| How do you ship live animals? |
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The vast majority of our animal orders are shipped by truck. Our transportation partner maintains a fleet of 100 temperature-controlled vehicles of various sizes, and coordinates shipments from all of our US facilities direct to your location.
For those locations that do not have a truck route, we ship Monday and Wednesday by air freight. There is a 1-2 day delivery time when we ship by air. Animals are trucked from our breeding facilities to the respective airports where they are maintained in a temperature-controlled area until loaded onto the plane.
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| What kind of shipping diet does Charles River use? |
| The shipping diet for U.S. rodent shipments consists of a handful of dry rodent chow and a product we developed called Transgel. Transgel is approximately 70% water and contains hydrocolloids, potassium sorbate, phosphoric acid and a mixture of carbohydrates. The formulation of Transgel is such that it resists bacterial and mold growth and is stable without refrigeration for long periods of time. Transgel can be purchased through our Customer Service Department. |
| Is it normal for my animals to lose weight in shipping? |
| Yes. Animals normally lose approximately 10% of their body weight in transit due to stress from shipping. Once the animals have been acclimated for 24-48 hours with food and water, they should regain any lost weight. |
| Who do I call if my order is not correct? |
| Please call 1-800-LAB-RATS and one of our Customer Service Representatives will be happy to assist in resolving the problem quickly and to your complete satisfaction. |
| What are Customer Service hours/holidays? |
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST
For West Coast Customers: Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. EST
Holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving, ½ day before Christmas, Christmas |
| How do I know what day my animals will arrive during a holiday week? |
| Holiday shipping schedules vary according to the day of the week impacted. Holidays generally affecting our shipping schedule are: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Call Customer Service at 1-800-LAB-RATS for schedule changes during holiday weeks. |
