Maternal effect on the commencement of hibernation and body mass of the juvenile edible dormouse Glis glis in captivity

摘要

The aim of our study was to check whether maternal presence during the post-weaning period affects the onset of hibernation and weight gain under unlimited food supply in juvenile edible dormice Glis glis. We investigated four groups of siblings growing up in the presence of the mother ("with mother"; n=17) and three groups of juveniles separated from the mother after weaning ("without mother", n = 17).