Studies on some patterns sexual behavior in normal and strssed rabbits

Abstract EN

Twelve males and females (n = 24) white New Zealand rabbits were used to evaluate some patterns of sexual behavior in normal and after exposure to emotional stress.

The main aspects of sexual behavior which were observed in male rabbit were inactivity, nuzzling the female, mounting and ejaculation.

The female rabbits showed different sexual behavior such as flattening and circling, mounting the male and lordships and submission to mating.

After introduction of a female rabbit into the male's cage for 2 minutes, the duration of the behaviors in both sexes was recorded in seconds using stopwatch.

The results showed that, control male rabbits remained inactive for a significantly shorter time as compared with stressed male rabbits.

Also the results indicated that control males performed nuzzling and mounting the females for shorter time than those counted for the stressed ones.

Furthermore control female rabbits were alternately flattened and circled inside the cage for a significantly lesser time as compared to stressed females where they flattened longer in a corner of the cage.

In addition comparison of these behavioral events between control and stressed animals showed that in control female rabbits, mating occurred within 40 seconds after introduction into the male's cage; however stressed female rabbits spent about double the time needed for the control group.

The sexual performance of stressed male rabbits showed expression of sexual aggressiveness such as enuresis, grasping and kicking toward the female rabbits inside the cage.

The studies of steroid assays revealed that, the mean Cortisol concentrations of both stressed male and female rabbits were significantly higher than those measured in control ones.

Moreover, the rises in the serum concentrations of Cortisol levels in stressed female rabbits) were significantly higher compared to control ones.