Adult responsiveness to ultrasonic signals from gerbils of varying ages: parity, gender, and housing effects.

Groups of adult gerbils differing by gender, parity, and presence or absence of young in the nest were exposed to taped ultrasonic distress calls of male and female pups on postnatal Days 3, 8, and 13. Frequency and time spent performing several behavioral items as well as frequency and time spent in the compartment housing the recorded tapes were assessed in the adult groups. Adult groups differed in rates and durations of certain behavioral items only during playback, with females with young in the home nest exhibiting the highest frequency of nest building in the test apparatus. However, all groups spent more time in the arm from which calls of Day-8 pups were played. Calls of Day-3 and Day-13 pups did not produce significant differences in adult responsiveness. These results reveal significant characteristics of the ultrasounds for each group which parallel certain morphological and behavioral changes.