The Responses of One-day Old Acomys cahirinus Pups to Naturally Occurring Chemical Stimuli

Abstract

The role of olfactory stimuli in the mediation of the behavior of 26--36 hour old spiny mice (Acomys cabirinus) was assessed through a series of six experiments. The major results of these experiments are: 1. One day old spiny mice showed a preference for soiled bedding from their own home-cage as compared to clean bedding in a simultaneous two-choice preference test. 2. No significant preference was displayed for home-cage bedding vs. bedding from the cage of a conspecific litter and parents. 3. Soiled bedding from the home-cage was preferred over soiled bedding from the cage of a nulliparous adult female conspecific. 4. A reduced mean latency to leave an area of clean bedding was found in comparison to mean latencies to leave soiled bedding from the subjects' home-cage or from the cage of a conspecific litter. 5. No differential activity levels were displayed on home-cage vs. clean bedding. It was concluded that by the second day of life, Acomys pups have developed attachment to chemical stimuli produced by specific classes of conspecifics--and that the early appearance of such attachments is a function of the high degree of sensory and motor precocity of the Acomys pups at birth. The adaptive value of such rapidly developed attachments in precocial as contrasted to altricial species was discussed.