Role of residual olfactory cues in the determination of feeding site selection and exploration patterns of domestic rats.
- 1 January 1976
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology
- Vol. 90 (8) , 727-739
- https://doi.org/10.1037/h0077243
Abstract
Weanling domestic rat pups feed and explore in areas containing residual olfactory cues deposited by conspecific adults in preference to clean areas. Both nulliparous and lactating Long-Evans female rats deposit residual cues in an area that induce pups to explore and feed in it. Residual cues continue to affect the feeding and exploratory behavior of pups to maturity. Discrepancies between results obtained in the olfactory discrimination apparatus used by Leon and Moltz and those of the present experiments are resolved, and evidence is presented for the existence of residual cues not contined in anal excreta, which are attractive to pups. Residual cues deposited by adult rats can play a role in directing weanlings to their 1st meals of solid food in the natural environment.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: