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Influence of the mother on the behavior of young rabbits during the prepubertal period

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Abstract

In this study, we investigate the influence of a mother on the behavior of young rabbits during the prepubertal period. It is shown that the presence of the mother affects the ratio of types of activity in offspring and the mother can demonstrate behavioral patterns to suppress aggressive behavior in offspring. It was found that rabbits in the prepubertal period continue to have active contact with their mother and make successful attempts at sucking. It was noted that, in terms of percentage, both in the frequency and duration of different forms of activity among rabbits from one to three months of age, a neutral socially oriented and feeding behavior appear to be predominant. There were significant differences in the frequency of the socially oriented behavior and the duration of feeding behavior in young rabbits, who grew up with their mother and without her.

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Correspondence to A. V. Ambaryan.

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Original Russian Text © E.V. Fedosov, A.V. Ambaryan, A.N. Mal’tsev, N.K. Karaman, E.V. Kotenkova, 2015, published in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Biologicheskaya, 2015, No. 6, pp. 617–626.

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Fedosov, E.V., Ambaryan, A.V., Mal’tsev, A.N. et al. Influence of the mother on the behavior of young rabbits during the prepubertal period. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 42, 531–539 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359015060035

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