Marble Burying Assay
The marble burying assay places a fixed grid of marbles on bedding and counts how many are covered after a set period. It is simple to run and sensitive to bedding, strain, and drug effects.
Marble Burying Scorer
Score percent marbles buried, group SEM, and CSV export for repetitive and anxiety-like behavior batteries.
Percent BuriedGroup SEMCSV Export
Marble burying scoring table
Enter total marbles and the number scored as at least two-thirds buried at the end of the session. Group summaries report percent buried with SEM.
| Animal | Group | Total marbles | Buried | Session (min) | Buried % | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.0% | ||||||
| 45.0% | ||||||
| 75.0% | ||||||
| 70.0% |
| Animal | Group | Buried | Total | Buried % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WT-1 | WT | 8 | 20 | 40.00 |
| WT-2 | WT | 9 | 20 | 45.00 |
| Model-1 | Model | 15 | 20 | 75.00 |
| Model-2 | Model | 14 | 20 | 70.00 |
Group percent buried
- Calculate percent marbles buried from endpoint scoring
- Compare genotype or treatment cohorts with group SEM
- Standardize the at least two-thirds buried criterion
- Export cage-level or animal-level marble burying results
- Pair repetitive/anxiety-like endpoints with EPM and light-dark assays
Don't use for
- Continuous digging duration from video ethograms
- Nestlet shredding or nest quality scoring
- Forced burying or defensive burying shock-probe protocols
Resources
- Total marble count and layout fixed across cages
- Bedding type, depth, and compaction documented
- At least two-thirds buried criterion selected before scoring
- Session duration fixed within cohort
- Cage lighting and room conditions matched
- Observer blinded to treatment or genotype when possible
Metrics and Math
The scorer calculates percent buried as buried marbles / total marbles x 100. Group summaries are calculated from animal-level percentages and reported as mean plus SEM.
Design Notes
Keep marble count, layout, bedding depth, cage size, lighting, session duration, and scoring criterion fixed across groups. Score cages blind to treatment when possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps
Marble Burying Cage
Cage setup for standardized bedding depth and marble layout
Browse →ConductVision
Use video support for digging and activity audit trails
Browse →Self-Grooming Scorer
Score another repetitive-behavior endpoint in the same cohort
Browse →Social Interaction Analyzer
Compare repetitive endpoints with direct social-interaction outcomes
Browse →Nest Building Scorer
Add home-cage nest quality and shredded-mass scoring
Browse →Elevated Plus Maze Anxiety Index
Add an anxiety-like behavior measure for interpretation context
Browse →Light-Dark Box Test Calculator
Pair marble burying with a light avoidance endpoint
Browse →All behavior tests by paradigm
Browse every rodent behavior calculator, analyzer, and scorer organized by anxiety, depression, motor, memory, social, and pain paradigms.
Browse →Run a behavior core
Battery sequencer, acclimation tracker, IRR calculator, ethogram builder, and SOP generator.
Browse →Need Help?
Get a quote on equipment or talk to our team.
Request quote →