Inhibition of Reproductive Development in Laboratory Populations of Prairie Deermice (Peromyscus Maniculatus Bairdii): Influence of Tactile Cues

Eight populations were founded by releasing 4 ♂ ♂ and 4 pregnant ♀ ♀ into circular enclosures containing 18 546 cm² of floor area and 8 nest boxes. Food and water were maintained in surplus. Half of the young born into the populations were reared as bisexual pairs in No—Contact Cages within the enclosures where they received visual, auditory and olfactory stimuli from the populations. Their sibs remained freely ranging in the enclosures and based upon previous studies, would be expected not to mature reproductively. The data indicate that rearing young in the wire No—Contact Cages within the population enclosures resulted in their development of significantly larger reproductive organs compared to freely ranging animals. The reproductive rate of the caged animals was also higher but not significantly so. Tactile cues thus appear of primary importance to the reproductive inhibition observed in the populations.