Short-term early exposure to pups alters infanticide in adulthood in male but not in female wild house mice (Mus domesticus).

Abstract

Male and female wild house mice (Mus domesticus) were allowed to remain in the cage of their parents until 30-35 days of age. When a second litter was delivered, the first litter was exposed to the younger pups for 2-10 days. In adulthood the male and female mice that had been exposed to pups as juveniles and an additional group that had cohabitated with their parents for the same length of time but were not exposed to pups were tested for infanticidal behavior. The frequency of infanticide by the adult female mice was not significantly different (55% vs. 70%, respectively). In contrast, the adult males that were exposed to pups as juveniles were significantly less likely to kill young in adulthood when compared with males that were not similarly exposed (35% vs. 80%, respectively). These data further demonstrate the strong influence of experience on the expression of infanticide by male mice and its relative unimportance to the expression of female infanticide.