Cover for a cage for laboratory animals, and cage for laboratory animals including said cover

A cage for housing laboratory animals, said cage comprising a tray and a cover, the cover being removable from the tray and switchable between a first closing position, in which the cover is positioned to prevent access to an internal space delimited by said tray, and a second opening position, in which the cover is positioned to allow access to said internal space, said cover comprising a main cover portion having at least a substantially flat portion, a side edge portion extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main cover portion and one or more hooks comprising:

• a first extension portion extending from an inner surface of the main cover portion in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially flat portion, and an end extension portion which extends from the first extension portion in a second direction substantially parallel to the substantially flat portion;
• and
• an engagement portion configured to engage with at least one portion of an inner surface of a side wall of said tray;
• wherein in said first closing position, the hooks are configured to extend into the internal space without contacting any portion of said tray, and wherein, in said second opening position, the engagement portion of each hook is configured to engage with a portion of an inner surface of a side wall of said tray so as to position at least one portion of the main cover portion adjacent to a side wall of said tray and outside of the internal space;
• wherein in said second opening position one portion of the side edge portion of the cover is in contact with a portion of said tray which is arranged between a substantially flat bottom of the tray and the side wall of the tray that is configured for engagement by the hooks in said second opening position at least one trough configured for placement inside said cage, wherein the trough is provided with at least one trough seat suitable for receiving the end extension portion of at least one hook of said one or more hooks, so that in said second opening position this end extension portion is received in this recess and is arranged between the trough and the portion of the inner surface of the side wall of said tray that is configured for engagement by the engagement portion of this hook.