The control and function of maternal scent marking in the Mongolian gerbil

Both scent marking frequency and nest building activity increase during pregnancy and early lactation, and then gradually fall off to prepregnancy levels by the end of lactation. Females ovariectomized two days after parturition fail to show the normal increase in marking in early lactation. In addition, ovariectomy of nonpregnant females causes a significant decline in marking frequency, thus implicating ovarian secretions in the control of female scent marking. The presence of the mother's sebum on a strange pup enhances the pup's probability of being retrieved to the nest, suggesting that scent marking aids the mother in identifying her pups. The role of the hormones of pregnancy in regulating many aspects of maternal behavior is emphasized.