A method and apparatus that detects a condition of a cage for housing laboratory animals includes providing an animal cage including a base part and a top and cage means for automatically detecting at least one of at least one bedding condition corresponding to a humidity level or an occurring flooding condition. At least one of the resistance or the impedance of material between said pair of electrodes is determined using one of direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). At least one of the bedding condition or the flooding condition is measured based on a rate of one or more changes of one of a resistance or an impedance of said material between said electrodes.