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The facilitative influence of experiential factors on the parental behavior of male mice (Mus musculus): (i) The effects of the experience of copulation and cohabitation with a pregnant female

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Abstract

Effects of the experience of copulation and cohabitation with a pregnant female on male parental behavior were examined in ICR-strain male mice. The experience of copulation and/or cohabitation with a pregnant female promoted parental behavior, although the cohabitation with a pregnant female per se failed to inhibit infanticide in male mice. Therefore, it is possible that the facilitation of parental behavior is caused by a motivation independent from that of the inhibition of infanticide in male mice. As to the facilitation of parental behavior, the effect of copulation was stronger than that of cohabitation with a pregnant female, and these 2 effects seem to be additive. It is possible that there are 2 independent mechanisms for the facilitation of parental behavior in male mice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, 153, Tokyo, Japan

    Fumio Matsumoto & Takeji Kimura

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  1. Fumio Matsumoto
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  2. Takeji Kimura
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Matsumoto, F., Kimura, T. The facilitative influence of experiential factors on the parental behavior of male mice (Mus musculus): (i) The effects of the experience of copulation and cohabitation with a pregnant female. J. Ethol. 13, 23–30 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02352559

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02352559

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