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ID Made Easy
Research
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Laboratory animal identification

Implantable Animal ID Microchips for Research

UID research transponders give every laboratory animal a permanent RFID identity. Choose implant sizes from neonatal mice to large species, program up to 16 characters of study data on the chip, or collect ID and temperature on the same scan.

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An ID That Lasts the Life of the Animal
Why RFID?

An ID That Lasts the Life of the Animal

Every animal study depends on knowing exactly which animal you're working with. Each animal in a study is directly associated with a significant amount of information, such as its age, sex, genotype, study parameters, and results. Therefore, the ability to identify individual animals within a group and maintain data integrity throughout the study is critical to overall research success.

An RFID microchip makes that identity permanent. The chip stores a unique identification code along with programmable data, and any UID reader retrieves it with a quick, non-contact scan. The same chip reads reliably in animals from young mice to larger species, keeping each animal's data accurate and traceable for the life of the study.

The Benefits

Benefits of RFID Microchips for Lab-Animal Identification

A permanent, low-stress identifier engineered for the lifetime of the animal and the integrity of your data.

  • Permanent Implanted once and readable for the animal's entire life — no tags to shed, fade, or replace.
  • Unique Every transponder carries a globally unique ID, so no two animals are ever confused.
  • Reliable Passive RFID has no battery or moving parts, so reads stay consistent across years of study.
  • Accurate Machine-read IDs remove the ambiguity of visual marks, keeping every data point tied to the right subject.
  • Improved welfare Replaces ear notching and tattooing with one quick injection, reducing stress and repeat handling.
  • Minimally invasive A fine-gauge subcutaneous placement is comparable to a routine injection, with rapid recovery.
  • Efficient Digital capture removes manual transcription, speeding census counts and cutting record-keeping errors.
  • Easy to use Pre-loaded injectors and one-button readers keep training short and protocols repeatable across staff.
  • Personnel safety Contactless scanning keeps hands clear of the animal, lowering bite and needlestick exposure.
  • Safe Biocompatible, sterile transponders are designed to stay inert in tissue for the life of the animal.
The Lineup

Four Chips, Smallest to Largest

Every UID research microchip is programmable with up to 16 characters.

How to Select Your Chip

Four Steps to Permanent ID

  1. Decide if you need temperature

    The UCT-2112 returns ID and core temperature on one scan (±0.1 °C, GLP-validated). All other options are ID only.

  2. Pick your size

    UC-1283 for neonates and the smallest implants. UC-1485 for mice, UC-2112 for larger species, and UCT-2112 for temperature monitoring.

  3. Decide on packaging

    All four ship sterile in blister packs. UC-1283 is also available as a single-use disposable injector.

  4. Pair with a reader

    Pick a reader that matches your workflow. From cage-side scans to desktop data entry, we have readers for all workflows.

Human-Readable ID
Programmable Memory

Human-Readable ID

Most implantable microchips return one piece of info: a fixed ID. Great for software, but difficult for the people actually doing the work. All UID tags can be provisioned with up to 16 characters of human-readable data for quick cage-side identification.

Program the study number, genotype, cohort code, or date of birth directly to the chip.

  • No Cross-Referencing The reader shows your study data, not a number to chase down later.
  • Reprovision Anytime Update the data through the skin with the UBS-200, no re-implant needed.

Programmed Your Way Provision chips yourself in the cannula with the UPS-60, or have UID program and label them with your data before they ship, sterile and ready to implant.

Explore Custom Programming
Side by Side

Compare the Four Chips

Capability UC-1283 MiniMax UC-1485 Mouse UC-2112 All Species UCT-2112 Temperature
Unique ID Yes Yes Yes Yes
Temperature No No No Yes
Programmable Yes Yes Yes Yes
Recommended for home-cage monitoring No No No Yes
Cannula gauge 17G 15.5G 12.5G 12.5G
Available in blister pack Yes Yes Yes Yes
Available in disposable injector Yes No No No
By Species

Which Chip We'd Recommend, by Animal

Species UC-1283 UC-1485 UC-2112 UCT-2112
Neonate mice Recommended Yes No No
Mice Yes Recommended Yes Yes
Rats Yes Yes Recommended Recommended
Guinea pigs, rabbits Yes Yes Recommended Recommended
Dogs, primates, larger species Yes Yes Recommended Recommended
  • UC-1283 Disposables

    UC-1283 Disposable

Packaging

UC-1283 Packaging Options

The UC-1283 can be purchased as a disposable injector or in a typical blister pack used with the MiniMax Injector.

  • Blister pack Sterile cannula in an individual blister, paired with a reusable injector.
  • Disposable Same chip, pre-loaded into a sterile single-use injector. Perfect for high-sterility environments.
Ordering

How Microchips Ship

UID research microchips ship in standard quantities. Custom volume pricing is available for orders larger than 1,000 chips.

  • Box of 24

    Ideal for pilot studies

    24 chips
    • 24× UID Microchips Individually sterile-packed cannulas
    Add to Quote
  • Most popular

    Box of 198

    Most Popular — Mid-size cohorts

    198 chips
    • 198× UID Microchips Individually sterile-packed cannulas
    Add to Quote

  • Box of 990

    High-volume studies & breeding colonies

    990 chips
    • 990× UID Microchips Individually sterile-packed cannulas
    Add to Quote
Pair It With

Readers

Pair It With

Injectors

The Lineup

All Four Microchips

Common Questions

  • Which chip should I use for which species?

    UC-1283 for the smallest implants and youngest animals — neonatal mice and very small subjects. UC-1485 for mouse studies generally. UC-2112 for rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, primates, and other larger species. UCT-2112 any time temperature is required. All four work in mice — pick the smallest cannula that's appropriate for the animal. See our recommendation table for more info.

  • When do I pick UCT-2112 over UC-2112?

    Pick UCT-2112 when body temperature is a study parameter, or when you'll move the study to home-cage monitoring. The UCT-2112 is the recommended chip for UID home-cage monitoring (AnyCage Lite, AnyCage Plus, Mouse Matrix) regardless of species.

  • Programmable on-board memory — what is it and which chips have it?

    All four UID research microchips carry 16 characters of user-programmable memory. This allows for human-readable data — study number, genotype, cohort code, DOB, etc. Provisioning (the process of writing data to the tag) happens before implant on the UPS-60 Chip Provisioning Station, or in-animal on the UBS-200 Base Station. The programmable data persists for the life of the implant and can be rewritten through UID software.

  • Which reader do I pair with these chips?

    Any UID reader will read any UID microchip — there is no chip-specific reader pairing. The choice is by workflow: URH-2 handheld for cage-side scans, URH-300HP for larger species or longer-range cage-side scans. See the readers page for more information.

  • Does the chip ship sterile?

    Yes. Every UID microchip ships pre-assembled inside a cannula packaged in an individual sterile blister pack. UC-1283 (MiniMax) is also available as a single-use disposable injector when the reusable workflow isn't an option.

  • Microchip or transponder — what's the difference?

    No difference. Microchip, transponder, RFID, PIT tag, tag, etc., are all names for implantable RFID tags.

  • Can the chip be programmed after implant?

    Yes. The UBS-200 Base Station can read and re-program any UID programmable chip through the skin, with the chip in place. This is useful when a study cohort changes mid-study, or when programmable data needs to be updated without re-implanting.

Microchip Resources

Compare Identification Methods

Review RFID alongside mouse ear tags, tattoos, ear punches, and toe clipping, then discuss implantation with your veterinary team.

  • Reference

    Mouse Identification: RFID Microchips vs. Ear Tags

    Compare mouse ear tags, RFID microchips, tattoos, ear punches, and toe clipping for handling, recordkeeping, genotyping, and study requirements.

    Compare methods →
  • Download PDF

    Procedure for Subcutaneous Microchip Insertion in Mice

    Step-by-step technical protocol for subcutaneous RFID microchip implantation in mice, covering site selection, applicator technique, and post-implantation verification.

    Download implantation resource →

Tell Us About Your Facility and Protocol. We'll Match You With the Right Chip

There are a lot of variables when choosing the RFID solution that's best for you. We're here to help. Give us a call and we can spec it before you order.

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