Effect of handling on maternal behavior following return of pups to the nest

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Handling rat pups during the 1st week after birth altered adult behavior in the open-field, whereas simply separating the pups from their mothers during the same period produced differences in body weight at weaning. Observations of mother-infant interaction following pup treatment yielded different patterns of maternal behavior. Moreover, pups receiving early treatment were more active as adults in a novel environment and had a greater body weight at weaning. The quality of maternal care and the immediate effects of infantile stimulation on the mother-infant relation should be considered in specifying a mediating mechanism for the effects of early experience.