Summary
Two laboratory experiments assessed the role of nose-to-head and nose-mouth investigation in the transmission of food preferences from Acomys cahirinus mothers to their offspring. Pups spent more time nosing and licking the nose-mouth area of mothers who ate a novel food (fresh potato or carrot) than of mothers who ate no novel food. A greater amount of the less-preferred novel food (potato) was subsequently eaten by pups whose mothers had eaten potato than pups whose mothers had eaten either carrot or familiar laboratory chow only. Mothers maintained a stereotypic posture during nose-mouth investigation, holding still with mouth slightly open, providing both a source of specific food cues and a context in which pups could become familiar with them. These data suggest an active role by Acomys mothers in the development of offspring food preferences.
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McFadyen-Ketchum, S.A., Porter, R.H. Transmission of food preferences in spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus) via nose-mouth interaction between mothers and weanlings. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 24, 59–62 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300118
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300118