Generate printable 3.5 × 5 in cage cards with embedded QR codes for mouse and rat colonies. Bulk CSV import, NIH-compliant fields, duplicate detection, and a versioned JSON QR payload for future colony software integration.
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Load example cage card generator data to see the full workflow
When to use
Do not use for
A printed card freezes the cage state at print time. The first wean, transfer, or cull silently invalidates the card. Treat the printed card as a stable address (cage ID + protocol + PI) and let the QR code resolve to live state.
Strain names over ~32 characters do not fit on a standard 3.5 5 card. The generator truncates them on the printed card but keeps the full name in the QR payload, so scanning still gives the complete information.
Two labs using "C-001" creates a real risk of mixing cages during room cleanings. Pick a facility-wide naming convention (typically PI-initials + year + sequence) and enforce it from the start.
Most IACUC protocols are valid for 3 years and require annual renewal. The cage card generator does not check expiration — verify protocol status against your IACUC office before printing a large batch.
Cage cards are rendered with jsPDF at 3.5 5 in landscape. QR codes are generated client-side with the qrcode library at error correction level M and 200 px raster size. The QR payload is a compact JSON object with abbreviated field names (`v`, `id`, `strain`, `dam`, `sire`, `dob`, `pcl`, `pi`) and optional ConductColony URL.
Last validated 2026-04-06. Calculations are designed for planning and documentation support; verify procurement decisions against manufacturer specifications or institutional SOPs.
ConductScience Cage Card & QR Code Generator (v0.90.0). ConductScience, Inc. 2026. Available at: https://conductscience.com/tools/mouse-cage-card-generator
National Research Council. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 8th ed. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2011. Section IV.A.5.
AAALAC International. Position Statement on Animal Identification. 2020.
Cage card identification is regulated by both the NIH Guide and AAALAC accreditation standards. The required minimum varies by institution but always includes:
Printed cards become stale the moment animals are transferred, weaned, or culled. A QR code that links to a live colony management system means the card never needs to be reprinted — the source of truth is digital, and the card is just a stable address.
The QR code on each card encodes a JSON payload with these design decisions:
Every payload starts with `"v": "1"` so future readers can evolve the schema without breaking older cards. When the field set changes, increment the version and have the reader fall back to v1 parsing.
Field names are abbreviated (`id`, `dam`, `sire`, `pcl`, `pi`) to keep the QR density low. A standard 3.5 5 in cage card has limited real estate, and lower density QRs scan more reliably under poor lighting in a vivarium.
Optional fields are removed from the JSON when empty rather than set to null. This further reduces QR density and means a card with only the required fields produces a much simpler QR.
When the optional `url` field is included, scanning the QR opens a ConductColony page with the live cage state. The card itself stays printed, but the data on it is always current.
Create cages, print QR cards, and scan back to current census, breeding status, weights, and protocol details without reprinting after every transfer.
Open app EquipmentStandard rodent housing and identification supplies
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