G. Coureaud et al., Orientation response of newborn rabbits to odours of lactating females: relative effectiveness of surface and milk cues, ANIM BEHAV, 61, 2001, pp. 153-162
To assess temporal and spatial variations in the emission of the odour guid
ing them to the nipples, we exposed newborn rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus,
to lactating females in a series of simultaneous olfactory choice tests. T
hey showed a clear preference for females in early, rather than late, lacta
tion, and in the prenursing, rather than postnursing, phase. Furthermore, t
he female's abdominal, and specifically nipple, regions were more attractiv
e to pups than the back and non-nipple abdominal areas. Finally, the surfac
e odour. cues from the abdomen of lactating females were as attractive as t
he odour of rabbit milk itself. These data suggest that the source of the a
ctive compound eliciting preferential orientation is located on the nipple,
a site allowing simultaneous evaporation in air and dissolution in milk. (
C) 2001 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.