{
  "abstract": "Time-restricted feeding (TRF) is a common tool for studying metabolism, circadian rhythms, aging, and neurodegeneration. Here, we describe a new device called Tumbly, an automated device for performing TRF studies in mouse home-cages. Tumbly controls access to rodent diets at user-set times via a programmable servo-driven food hopper. Tumbly is also battery powered and compatible with multiple types of vivarium home-cages, due to a removable faceplate that can be customized to fit different cage dimensions without modification. Finally, Tumbly is open-source and affordable, with all design files available online, allowing researchers to build and customize it. As a validation test, we deployed Tumbly in two labs at separate institutions, one with singly housed mice (n = 6, within-subject) and one with group-housed mice (n = 22, between-group). We measured daily body weight and food intake. In both labs, mice on an 8-hour TRF schedule maintained their body weight and ate similar amounts of food compared to ad libitum feeding. Our quantified error rates were also low, with no device failures over >1000 hours of operation. We conclude that Tumbly provides a reliable, low-cost option for running TRF studies in mice.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Washington University in St Louis"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "M. Barrett"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "W. Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Gaidica"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Wagner"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Wu"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. S. Musiek"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "A. Kravitz"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bakr16v2c4bs9.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.19.760239",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.760239v1.full",
  "id": "bakr16v2c4bs9",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.760239v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "neuroscience"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2737|Dietary Effects on Health"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223471136",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.760239v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-19",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bakr16v2c4bs9.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:29:28Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.19.760239",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.760239v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:neuroscience",
      "subfield": "neuroscience"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Tumbly: An Open-Source Home-Cage Device for Time-Restricted Feeding in Mice",
  "title_text": "Tumbly: An Open-Source Home-Cage Device for Time-Restricted Feeding in Mice",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:29:28Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bakr16v2c4bs9",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}