Handling rabbits in infancy: in search of a critical period.
In Experiment 1 rabbits were handled for the first 10 days of life while controls were not disturbed. In Experiment 2 rabbits were handled on Days 11-20. In Experiment 3 rabbits were handled on Days 1-10, 11-20, 1-20, or were not handled. Starting at 31 days the animals were given an open-field test, a test for exploratory behavior toward novel stimuli, and a test of social behavior. The data were not consistent with the critical period concept. Instead, handling during the first and second 10-day intervals appears to be additive and to approximate the effects of 20 days of handling.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D003423:Critical Period, Psychological; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009043:Motor Activity; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D012919:Social Behavior; D013045:Species Specificity