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Behavioral Mazes

Burrowing Tube

Name: Burrowing Tube
Brand: MazeEngineers
SKU: CS-958248
Price: 749.99 USD
Availability: InStock

SKU CS-958248

$749.99

IncludesStandard care

Standardized tube system for quantifying burrowing and tunneling behaviors in laboratory rodents under controlled conditions.

CE MarkedBAA available

Scientist guidance

Louise Corscadden, PhD

Director of Science · ConductScience

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Key Specifications

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Model fit: Mouse, Rat, Small Mammal
SKU family: CS-958248
Shipping box: 65.0 x 36.0 x 27.0 cm
Ordering: Online checkout and quote request available
Category: Behavioral Mazes
Build notes: Confirm accessories, station layout, and support needs before purchase

Category: Behavioral Mazes

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The Burrowing Tube provides a standardized environment for studying natural burrowing and tunneling behaviors in laboratory rodents. This apparatus consists of a transparent or translucent tube system that allows researchers to observe and quantify digging behaviors, spatial navigation within confined spaces, and species-specific burrowing patterns under controlled conditions.

The system enables researchers to assess motor coordination, spatial memory, and anxiety-related behaviors as animals navigate through tube networks. The apparatus supports both acute behavioral assessments and chronic studies of burrowing preference, with applications spanning neuroscience research, behavioral pharmacology, and comparative ethology studies.

How It Works

The Burrowing Tube apparatus utilizes the natural burrowing instinct present in most rodent species to assess behavioral and cognitive parameters. Animals are placed at tube entrances and their movement patterns, exploration time, and navigation choices are recorded through direct observation or video tracking systems.

The transparent or translucent construction allows researchers to monitor animal behavior without interference while maintaining the enclosed environment that stimulates natural burrowing responses. Behavioral parameters are quantified through measurement of latency to enter, total time spent burrowing, distance traveled, and preference for specific tube sections or configurations.

Data collection typically involves recording movement trajectories, measuring exploration duration, and analyzing spatial distribution patterns within the tube system to generate quantitative behavioral metrics for statistical analysis.

Features & Benefits

Transparent construction

Enables continuous behavioral observation without disturbing natural burrowing patterns

Modular tube sections

Allows customizable configurations to match specific experimental requirements and species needs

Smooth internal surfaces

Provides consistent movement conditions and reduces variables that could affect behavioral measurements

Easy disassembly design

Facilitates thorough cleaning between subjects to prevent cross-contamination and maintain hygiene standards

Standardized dimensions

Ensures reproducible conditions across experiments and enables comparison with published literature

Durable material construction

Withstands repeated use and cleaning cycles while maintaining structural integrity for long-term studies

Feature	This Product	Typical Alternative	Advantage
Construction Material	Consult product datasheet for material specifications	Basic models may use opaque materials limiting observation capabilities	Transparent construction enables continuous behavioral monitoring without environmental disruption
Tube Configuration	Modular design allowing custom configurations	Fixed configurations limit experimental flexibility	Adaptable setup accommodates diverse experimental protocols and species requirements
Assembly Method	Easy disassembly for cleaning	Permanent assemblies complicate sanitation procedures	Thorough cleaning between subjects prevents cross-contamination and maintains data integrity
Size Range	Consult product datasheet for dimensional specifications	Limited size options may not accommodate all species	Appropriate sizing ensures natural movement patterns and behavioral validity

The Burrowing Tube system provides modular construction and transparent materials for comprehensive behavioral assessment. The design emphasizes ease of cleaning and flexible configuration to support diverse experimental protocols.

Track rodents with ConductVision

ConductVision is our video-tracking software. Record your sessions on video, and it scores standard rodent tests, such as those listed below.

Examples of tests it scores

To check whether ConductVision scores your protocol in this apparatus, ask in your quote request.

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Creator Insights

Robert M. J. DeaconStandardized the rodent burrowing test (2006)University of Oxford

About the Creator

Robert M. J. Deacon was a behavioral neuroscientist at the University of Oxford who developed a suite of ethologically grounded assays for mouse models of neurological disease, emphasizing tasks sensitive to early or subtle changes in brain function. In a 2006 Nature Protocols paper he described the burrowing test, which measures a rodent’s spontaneous motivation to displace material from a tube — a behavior reliably suppressed by central nervous system pathology. The test is valued for its simplicity, low cost and sensitivity, and has been widely adopted in models of Alzheimer’s disease, prion disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

To view Robert M. J. Deacon’s publications, visit PubMed.

Are you Robert M. J. Deacon? to review your photo and bio, and find out how to submit Creator Insights.

ConductScience celebrates method creators: researchers who, through rigorous and often ingenious experiments, develop the tools that reveal how the brain and body work. These are real scientific discoveries that become everyday instruments for the labs that follow.

Foundational paper

Deacon, R. M. J. (2006). Burrowing in rodents: a sensitive method for detecting behavioral dysfunction. Nature Protocols, 1(1), 118–121. doi:10.1038/nprot.2006.19

Use this apparatus with

The complete Burrowing Test workflow

Track behavior

No exact ConductVision burrowing page is currently published. Substrate displaced is measured by weighing the tube before and after rather than by tracking, so automated burrowing scoring stays a roadmap gap.

Supporting page not yet built

Run protocol

Habituation, tube loading, substrate selection, overnight versus 2-hour timing, and definitions for substrate displaced, burrowing latency, and non-burrowers.

ConductMaze Burrowing Protocol ->

Analyze output

No exact burrowing analysis tool is currently published. Burrowed fraction, latency, and time-course yields are summarized from before-and-after weights rather than a dedicated analyzer; keep this as a roadmap gap.

Supporting page not yet built

Configuration considerations

Common Burrowing Test setup decisions

Use these notes to scope species, cohort, tracking, and automation needs. Only verified product or support routes are linked from this section.

This productStandard tube

Burrowing Test

Open-ended tube with a raised lip and end stopper, loaded with a weighed substrate charge

Standard configuration for measuring burrowing as a spontaneous, welfare-sensitive behavior, reporting the weight of substrate displaced from the tube over a fixed interval.

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BuyableMouse or rat

Species-Scaled Tube

Tube diameter, length, and lip height scaled for mouse or rat

Tube bore, length, and lip height set how readily an animal can displace substrate, so the tube should be scaled to the species and substrate weight.

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SpecialtyTime-course

Time-Course Burrowing Set

Matched tubes for paired 2-hour and overnight yields

Best when the question is the time course of burrowing rather than a single endpoint, using paired short and overnight measures to separate initiation from total output.

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§ 1

Introduction

The Burrowing Test measures a spontaneous, species-typical behavior by recording how much substrate a rodent displaces from a loaded tube over a fixed interval. Deacon established burrowing as a sensitive index of behavioral dysfunction and general wellbeing that detects deficits many task-based assays miss. 1

The core readout is the weight of substrate displaced, supported by burrowing latency, time spent burrowing, and the proportion of non-burrowers. Because burrowing is voluntary and unrewarded, a drop in output is an early, low-stress marker of disrupted wellbeing across models of neurodegeneration, infection, and inflammation. 1

Novelty, tube geometry, substrate type and weight, satiety when food substrate is used, and individual-housing condition all change displacement independent of the underlying state. A defensible protocol habituates animals to the tube, fixes the substrate and timing, distinguishes overnight from short yields, and flags non-burrowers as a welfare quality-control category. 1

§ 2

Methods

2.1 Procedure

Loaded-tube burrowing with habituation, fixed substrate and timing, time-course measurement, and non-burrower flagging.

Pre-test setup

1.Habituation: Habituate animals to a loaded tube over prior nights so the test session reflects burrowing motivation rather than novelty of the apparatus.
2.Tube and substrate setup: Fix the tube diameter, length, lip height, and substrate type and weight, since each changes how readily substrate is displaced.
3.Define the timing: Choose and fix the measurement window, typically a 2-hour reading and an overnight reading, so initiation and total output are captured separately.
4.Set welfare flags: Pre-define a non-burrower threshold and the conditions under which an animal is flagged, so low output is treated as a welfare signal rather than missing data.

Trial sequence

1.Weigh and load the tube: Record the loaded substrate weight and place the tube in the cage with the open end raised on the lip.
2.Record burrowing latency: Note the latency to the first burrowing bout, indexing how readily the animal initiates the behavior.3
3.Measure short-interval yield: At the 2-hour mark, weigh the substrate remaining in the tube and compute the amount displaced.2
4.Measure overnight yield: Re-weigh after the overnight interval to capture total output, since some animals burrow late and a single early reading underestimates them.
5.Flag non-burrowers: Record animals that displace little or no substrate as non-burrowers, a welfare category rather than a zero to be averaged away.

Critical methodological constraints

Substrate consistency. Substrate type and weight set the baseline displacement. Use the same material and loaded weight across groups so output is comparable.2
Tube geometry. Tube diameter, length, and lip height change how easily substrate is pushed out. Hold geometry constant across all animals in a study.1
Time-course separation. A single early reading misses late burrowers. Report 2-hour and overnight yields separately to distinguish initiation from total output.2
Non-burrower handling. Animals that burrow little are a welfare signal, not noise. Flag non-burrowers as a category rather than folding zeros into a group mean.3

2.2 Measurement & Analysis

Core burrowing endpoints for output, initiation, engagement, and welfare quality control.

Substrate Displaced

Burrowing output

Weight of substrate pushed out of the tube over the interval, the primary index of burrowing behavior and general wellbeing.1

Burrowing Latency

Initiation

Time from tube placement to the first burrowing bout, indexing how readily the animal initiates the behavior.3

Time Spent Burrowing

Engagement

Duration of active burrowing during the interval, separating sustained engagement from a brief initial push.

Overnight vs 2h Yield

Time-course

Comparison of the short-interval and overnight displacement, distinguishing early initiation from total output for late burrowers.2

Non-Burrowers

Welfare QC

Proportion of animals displacing little or no substrate, flagged as a welfare quality-control category rather than averaged into the group.

+ Additional metrics: substrate type and weight, tube geometry, time of day, housing condition, body weight, and per-animal welfare notes.

2.3 burrowed fraction (analysis)

A compact fraction of the loaded substrate that the animal displaced from the tube.

2.4 sample-size planning

Estimate the N per group needed to detect a literature-anchored burrowing effect at the endpoint you plan to report. Override the defaults with your own pilot numbers.

sample-size planning

Estimate the N per group needed to detect a literature-anchored burrowing effect at the endpoint you plan to report. Override the defaults with your own pilot numbers.

Control vs behaviorally impaired rodent over the burrowing interval; representative magnitudes from Deacon (2006) on burrowing as a dysfunction assay.1

Control mean (g)Treatment mean (g)Pooled SD (g)

Power (1 - β)Alpha (two-sided)

Cohen's d

2.11

Plan for 10% attrition0%15%30%

N per group at 80% power

Total N

With attrition cushion

At 70% / 90% power

3 / 5

Methods sentence

Using substrate displaced (g) as the primary endpoint (control μ = 150 g, treatment μ = 70 g, σ = 38 g; Cohen's d = 2.11), a two-sample t-test with α = 0.05 provides 80% power to detect this difference with n = 4 animals per group (N = 8 total; 9 accounting for 10% expected attrition). Pilot magnitudes based on Deacon (2006).

Need ANOVA, proportions, paired design, or a power curve? Open in the full Sample-Size Calculator →

Formula: n = 2 · ((z_α/2 + z_β) / d)², where d = |μ₁ − μ₂| / σ. Assumes equal allocation, normality, and homoskedasticity. The attrition cushion inflates total N by 1 / (1 − dropout); confirm with your IACUC.

§ 3

Results

PubMed publication counts, sample apparatus output, and recent papers from a dated PubMed snapshot.

3.1 Publication trends

PubMed volume and co-occurring behavioral methods for rodent burrowing studies.

3.2 Sample apparatus output

Representative output from a burrowing session with a 2-hour and overnight reading on a 200 g substrate charge.

Table 1 · Per-animal Burrowing Test scoring output

Animal	Group	Displaced	Latency	Overnight yield	Burrowed fraction
BW-001	Control	152 g	4 min	188 g	76.0%
BW-002	Control	146 g	5 min	180 g	73.0%
BW-003	Control	150 g	3 min	184 g	75.0%
BW-004	Impaired	72 g	17 min	96 g	36.0%
BW-005	Impaired	68 g	20 min	88 g	34.0%
BW-006	Impaired	70 g	18 min	92 g	35.0%

Synthetic example for illustration only. Pair the displaced weight with substrate consistency, the 2-hour versus overnight time course, and non-burrower status before interpreting a wellbeing difference.

3.3 Recent findings (PubMed)

Newest matching papers in PubMed as of 2026-09-25.

Aug 2026PMID: 42667687
Deep seeding resistance in maize: selected after domestication or a strategy of its wild ancestors to escape underground animal burrowing?
Vázquez L, Cruz A, Alonso-Hernández R, et al.. J Exp Bot. 2026 Aug 29.
Buried seeds avoid predation ensuring their survival until conditions are suitable for germination. The ability of seedlings to emerge from the soil depends on soil characteristics, burial depth, and the skotomorphogenic program of each species.
Aug 2026PMID: 42655981
Brief, Repeated Isoflurane Anaesthesia Elicits Sex-Dependent Behavioural, Cerebrovascular and Microglial Alterations in Mice.
Sus Z, Verma I, Khan SH, et al.. Eur J Neurosci. 2026 Aug.
General anaesthetics are indispensable tools in biomedical research, yet growing evidence shows that their effects on brain function extend beyond the transient loss of consciousness for which they are used.
Jul 2026PMID: 42511137
Assessing Rodent-Induced Ecological Disturbance in Natural Grasslands Using Multi-Source Spatial Data.
Huang M, Wulan Q, Wang T, et al.. Animals (Basel). 2026 Jul 21.
High-density rodent populations cause severe habitat degradation and ecological imbalance in natural grasslands through intense foraging and burrowing activities. However, dynamically monitoring these small mammals and assessing their large-scale damage using traditional ground surveys alone is challenging.
Jul 2026PMID: 42511122
Impacts of Global Climate Change on Potential Habitat Distribution and Range Shifts of Semi-Subterranean Rodents.
Chen D, Zhang R, Yang H, et al.. Animals (Basel). 2026 Jul 20.
As integral components of ecosystems, rodents exhibit high sensitivity to environmental fluctuations. As a typical semi-subterranean rodent, the burrowing and foraging behaviors of the mole vole (Ellobius tancrei) profoundly impact local microhabitat structure and vegetation succession.
Jul 2026PMID: 42399819
Benefits and challenges of adding BKM120 to a BI-3406 plus trametinib combination therapy.
Schulz B, Leitner E, Rabierad M, et al.. BMC Cancer. 2026 Jul 3.
Achieving a balance between efficacy and side effects is essential for the success of new combinatorial cancer therapies. This study investigated the impact of adding BKM120, a PI3K inhibitor, to a dual regimen consisting of BI-3406, a KRAS/SOS1 inhibitor, and trametinib, a MEK inhibitor.
Jul 2026PMID: 42390885
Divergence Linked to Possible Ecological Speciation in Blind Mole Rats: Integration of Thermal Biology and Bite Force in the Upper Galilee Blind Mole Rat (Nannospalax galili).
Lövy M, Okrouhlík J, Vejmělka F, et al.. Integr Zool. 2026 Jul 2.
Ecological speciation refers to the process in which divergent natural selection drives lineage diversification within a species.

View all 531 matching papers on PubMed →

§ 4

Discussion

Limitations of the paradigm, methodological caveats, and current directions.

4.1 Common confounds

Variables that can shift Burrowing Test results apart from the effect under study.

Novelty/habituation

An unfamiliar tube suppresses burrowing on first exposure. Habituate animals over prior nights so the test reflects motivation rather than novelty.

Tube size/material/angle

Tube diameter, length, lip height, and material change how easily substrate is displaced. Hold geometry constant across all groups.

Substrate type & weight

Different substrates and loaded weights set different baselines. Use the same material and charge weight so output is comparable across groups.

Satiety (food substrate)

When food pellets are the substrate, hunger drives displacement. Standardize feeding state, or use a non-food substrate to remove the appetite confound.

Individual-housing condition

Housing and social condition affect burrowing motivation. Match housing across groups so the comparison is not confounded by isolation or crowding.

Confound checklist

Tick the confounds your protocol addresses, then export a methods-paragraph blurb you can paste into your manuscript.

Novelty/habituation. An unfamiliar tube suppresses burrowing on first exposure. Habituate animals over prior nights so the test reflects motivation rather than novelty.
Tube size/material/angle. Tube diameter, length, lip height, and material change how easily substrate is displaced. Hold geometry constant across all groups.
Substrate type & weight. Different substrates and loaded weights set different baselines. Use the same material and charge weight so output is comparable across groups.
Satiety (food substrate). When food pellets are the substrate, hunger drives displacement. Standardize feeding state, or use a non-food substrate to remove the appetite confound.
Individual-housing condition. Housing and social condition affect burrowing motivation. Match housing across groups so the comparison is not confounded by isolation or crowding.

Preview exported markdown

## Burrowing Test — methods controls

Confounds controlled in this protocol:

- **Novelty/habituation.** An unfamiliar tube suppresses burrowing on first exposure. Habituate animals over prior nights so the test reflects motivation rather than novelty.
- **Tube size/material/angle.** Tube diameter, length, lip height, and material change how easily substrate is displaced. Hold geometry constant across all groups.
- **Substrate type & weight.** Different substrates and loaded weights set different baselines. Use the same material and charge weight so output is comparable across groups.
- **Satiety (food substrate).** When food pellets are the substrate, hunger drives displacement. Standardize feeding state, or use a non-food substrate to remove the appetite confound.
- **Individual-housing condition.** Housing and social condition affect burrowing motivation. Match housing across groups so the comparison is not confounded by isolation or crowding.

4.2 Construct validity caveats

Burrowing is strongest when habituation, substrate, tube geometry, and timing are fixed before testing. Because output is voluntary and time-dependent, report both a short and an overnight yield, flag non-burrowers as a welfare category, and confirm a wellbeing deficit alongside an independent measure such as nest building. 1

4.3 Special considerations

Should I read at 2 hours or overnight?

Report both. A 2-hour reading captures initiation but misses late burrowers, while an overnight reading captures total output. Reporting them separately distinguishes slow starters from genuinely impaired animals.

How should I handle non-burrowers?

Flag them as a welfare category rather than averaging their zeros into the group. A cluster of non-burrowers is itself a meaningful signal of disrupted wellbeing, not missing data.

Does the substrate choice matter?

Yes. Substrate type and weight set the baseline displacement, and food substrate adds a hunger confound. Use the same material and charge weight across groups, and standardize feeding state if food is used.

4.4 Current directions

Quarterly editorial review of emerging Burrowing Test methodology. Q2 2026

Methods

Time-course reporting

Reporting paired 2-hour and overnight yields rather than a single endpoint separates initiation from total output and reduces misclassification of late burrowers.

Emerging

Burrowing in welfare batteries

Burrowing is increasingly paired with nest building and grimace scoring as a low-stress battery for monitoring general wellbeing during disease models.

Methods

Substrate standardization

Reporting substrate type, charge weight, and tube geometry is increasingly expected because displacement is not comparable across different materials and tubes.

Emerging

Non-burrower flagging

Treating non-burrowers as a defined welfare category rather than averaging their zeros gives a clearer read on disrupted wellbeing within a group.

§ 5

References

5 selected methods and validation references for Burrowing Test.

Deacon RM. Burrowing in rodents: a sensitive method for detecting behavioral dysfunction. Nat Protoc. 2006;1(1):118-121. doi:10.1038/nprot.2006.19
Deacon RM. Burrowing: a sensitive behavioural assay, tested in five species of laboratory rodents. Behav Brain Res. 2009;200(1):128-133. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2009.01.007
Jirkof P. Burrowing and nest building behavior as indicators of well-being in mice. J Neurosci Methods. 2014;234:139-146. doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.02.001
Deacon RM, Raley JM, Perry VH, Rawlins JN. Burrowing into prion disease. Neuroreport. 2001;12(9):2053-2057. doi:10.1097/00001756-200107030-00052
Jirkof P, Leucht K, Cesarovic N, et al. Burrowing is a sensitive behavioural assay for monitoring general wellbeing during dextran sulfate sodium colitis in laboratory mice. Lab Anim. 2013;47(4):274-283. doi:10.1177/0023677213493409

Burrowing Tube

$749.99

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Burrowing Tube

Louise Corscadden, PhD

Key Specifications

How It Works

Features & Benefits

Specifications

Shipping weight

Shipping box

Practical Tips

Setup Guide

What’s in the Box

Warranty

Compliance

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Track rodents with ConductVision

Examples of tests it scores

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Accessories

Frequently Bought Together

Related Products

About the Creator

The complete Burrowing Test workflow

Track behavior

Run protocol

Analyze output

Common Burrowing Test setup decisions

Burrowing Test

Species-Scaled Tube

Time-Course Burrowing Set

Introduction

Methods

2.1 Procedure

Pre-test setup

Trial sequence

2.2 Measurement & Analysis

2.3 burrowed fraction (analysis)

2.4 sample-size planning

Results

3.1 Publication trends

3.2 Sample apparatus output

3.3 Recent findings (PubMed)

Discussion

4.1 Common confounds

Novelty/habituation

Tube size/material/angle

Substrate type & weight

Satiety (food substrate)

Individual-housing condition

4.2 Construct validity caveats

4.3 Special considerations

4.4 Current directions

Time-course reporting

Burrowing in welfare batteries

Substrate standardization

Non-burrower flagging

References