Fostering in an African rodent, Saccostomus campestris (Cricetidae)

Abstract

Fostering was studied in females of an African rodent Saccostomus campestris, the pouched mouse, which, contrary to most other rodents, is a solitary species. Females will only tolerate their own offspring and other adults are viciously attacked at all times except during the short period of pro‐oestrus, when a male will be temporarily accepted.Alien pups (n = 857) of different age‐groups (0–30 days) were introduced to lactating females (n = 191) with their own pups (n = 1053) of different age‐groups (0–20 days) over a period of three years. The total number of pups per female was made up to 10 (e.g. 7 own + 3 alien or 4 own + 6 alien).The ‘foster mother’ readily accepted and successfully reared alien pups provided they were less than 21 days of age when introduced. Weaned alien pups, introduced when 25 or 30 days old, were viciously attacked by the foster mother and had to be removed, althoughin the breeding colony, pups that were allowed to remain with their mother after weaning were not attacked. It appears that up to weaning‐age, female Saccostomus campestris may not distinguish between may not distinguis between their own and alien offspring, but rather between suckling and weaned pups.