Behavioural development of conspecific odour preferences in Brandt's vole Microtus brandti

The behavioural development of conspecific odour preferences in Brandt's vo le Microlus brandti (Radde, 1861) was evaluated in laboratory tests. During the weaning period (15th-30th day after the birth), the preference of pups to individual odours of their parents, novel adult males and females were examined. Pups investigated odours of unfamiliar adults significantly more than those of their parents and they displayed significantly more jumping a nd upward visual investigating behaviours on the bedding soiled by unfamili ar adults than they did on the bedding of their parents. However, the frequ ency of crossing the parent's bedding was significantly higher than the fre quency of crossing the bedding of alien adults. It is suggested that odour discrimination ability was associated with the age of pups. The Brandt's vo le pups might keep themselves away from unfamiliar environments by keeping away from the novel conspecific odours.