Are room temperature settings for rodents typically set below their Lower Critical Temperature (LCT)?

Room temperature settings for rodents are generally maintained below their Lower Critical Temperature (LCT) to ensure their well-being and proper physiological functioning. The LCT for rodents is the temperature below which they begin to expend energy to maintain body heat, resulting in increased metabolic demands. Keeping the environmental temperature below the LCT necessitates the need for rodents to utilize energy reserves and may lead to stress if they cannot achieve warmth.

In a controlled laboratory setting, it's essential to provide a stable and suitable environment for rodents to minimize stress and avoid confounding effects on research outcomes. By maintaining room temperature settings in accordance with their physiological requirements, the risk of thermal stress is reduced, and their health and research integrity are safeguarded.

Other factors, such as specific room configurations or variations in individual species' adaptations to temperature, do play a role; however, the standard practice aligns with maintaining temperatures below their LCT for optimal care.