The facilitative influence of experiential factors on the parental behavior of male mice (Mus musculus): (i) The effects of the experience of copulation and cohabitation with a pregnant female

Effects of the experience of copulation and cohabitation with a pregnant female on male parental behavior were examined in ICR-strain male mice. The experience of copulation and/or cohabitation with a pregnant female promoted parental behavior, although the cohabitation with a pregnant female per se failed to inhibit infanticide in male mice. Therefore, it is possible that the facilitation of parental behavior is caused by a motivation independent from that of the inhibition of infanticide in male mice. As to the facilitation of parental behavior, the effect of copulation was stronger than that of cohabitation with a pregnant female, and these 2 effects seem to be additive. It is possible that there are 2 independent mechanisms for the facilitation of parental behavior in male mice.