| Title: | Effects of early exposure to ventral gland odor on physical and behavioral development and adult social behavior in Mongolian gerbils |
| Author(s): | Blum SL; Balsiger D; Ricci JS; Spiegel DK; |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0021-9940 (Print) 0021-9940 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Comparisons were made between male and female gerbils reared by ventral gland-excised and intact patents. Repeated measurements before and after puberty failed to reveal an effect of gland odor exposure on body weight, ventral gland size, open-field defecation, and time of vaginal opening. Exposed animals were more attracted than nonexposed animals to a strange male's gland odor during preference tests involving 'marked' and 'unmarked' paper strips. Opposite-sex pairs of exposed animals engaged in more social behavior than did nonexposed pairs, but there was no difference in fighting frequency or, during extended cohabiitation, in fecundity. While early exposure to gland odor apparently does not affect physical maturation, it may enhance later responsiveness to stimuli (gland odors) that are useful in locating conspecifics and that facilitate social interactions between previously unacquainted gerbils" |
| Keywords: | "Age Factors Agonistic Behavior/drug effects Animals Behavior, Animal/*drug effects Body Weight Female Fertility Gerbillinae Male Pheromones/*pharmacology Sebaceous Glands/anatomy & histology/*metabolism Sex Factors *Social Behavior;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineBlum, S L Balsiger, D Ricci, J S Spiegel, D K eng Comparative Study 1975/12/01 J Comp Physiol Psychol. 1975 Dec; 89(10):1210-9. doi: 10.1037/h0077174" |
