Attraction of newborn rabbits to abdominal odors of adult conspecifics differing in sex and physiological state

The present study aimed at assessing the ability of newborn rabbits (1-3 days) to detect and discriminate abdominal odors emitted by adult conspecifics varying in sex and physiological state. Pups were submitted to a two-choice test exclusively based on olfaction, which permitted exposure to conspecifics either during successive or simultaneous presentations. Their orientation toward either of the two stimuli was timed. These behavioral assays revealed that (a) pups display attraction to odors of the abdomen of nonlactating, nonpregnant females and males when pitted against a control stimulus; (b) pups preferred the odor of nonlactating, nonpregnant females when simultaneously presented with the odor of a male; (c) all sexually mature females (virgin, pregnant, or lactating) were attractive to pups; (d) the odor of lactating females was preferred to the odor of either nonlactating, nonpregnant or pregnant females. Thus, from the first day after birth, newborn rabbits are able to olfactorily discriminate conspecifics from cues emitted at the abdominal level and display the strongest attraction to lactating females.