FOOD HOARDING IS INCREASED BY PREGNANCY, LACTATION, AND FOOD-DEPRIVATION IN SIBERIAN HAMSTERS

Food hoarding by male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus sungorus) i s increased only when body mass (fat) is decreased. Pregnancy and lact ation result in marked decreases in lipid reserves (similar to 50%) in female Siberian hamsters. Therefore, the present experiments addresse d the following questions: 1) Is food hoarding increased after food de privation in female Siberian hamsters? and 2) How do food hoarding and food intake change during pregnancy, lactation, and their combination ? During measurements in a simulated burrow system, food hoarding incr eased after a 32-h fast (similar to 2- to 3-fold) to a level similar t o that seen previously in males and was markedly increased during preg nancy (similar to 12- to 18-fold), lactation, and concurrent pregnancy and lactation (similar to 10- to 25-fold for each of the latter 2 con ditions). Postfast food intake was not different from prefast baseline measures. Food intake was increased only during the last few days of pregnancy and was elevated throughout lactation. These impressive incr eases in the level of food hoarding during pregnancy, lactation, and t heir combination suggest that food hoarding may play an important role in supplying easily accessible energy to subserve these reproductive conditions.