Mother hamsters are prone to ________, especially with their first litter

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Rephrasing the prompt to focus on the topic: Mother hamsters are prone to ________, especially with their first litter.

Option availability note: The provided data shows the answer as Cannibalism, but the list of answer choices is not present here. In a typical multiple-choice item, we would evaluate each listed option in turn. Since we don’t have the alternatives, we’ll still unpack why Cannibalism is recognized as a possible behavior in this context.

Why Cannibalism can be correct: In many small mammal species, including hamsters, first-time mothers may exhibit stress responses or misdirected care that lead to cannibalism of some or all of the litter. This can occur due to insufficient maternal experience, perceived vulnerability of the kits, or a need to reclaim nutrients and reproductive resources when the dam is overwhelmed. Environmental stressors such as noise, poor nesting, inadequate food/water, or extreme temperatures can exacerbate this behavior. The statement highlights a documented, though not universal, tendency in neonatal or inexperienced litters.

Why this option might be considered correct in context: It aligns with known behavioral patterns in some rodent species where maternal cannibalism occurs more often with a first litter than with subsequent ones, particularly under stressful or suboptimal conditions. The emphasis on first litter reflects the idea that experience and adaptation reduce the likelihood of this behavior in later litters.

Why alternative options (if present) could be incorrect: If other choices suggested behaviors like aggression toward rival pups, neglect, or overly aggressive defense of the nest, those would not be the same as cannibalism. Some options might claim cannibalism never happens in healthy first litters, which would be contradicted by documented cases in laboratory or pet settings. If an option asserted that cannibalism occurs only due to genetic reasons or solely in captivity, those claims would be narrower than established explanations that include environmental and experiential factors.

Overall takeaway: Cannibalism is a recognized, albeit context-dependent, risk for first-time mother hamsters under stress or unsafe conditions. The statement captures a real possibility in early maternal behavior, even though it is not universal across all individuals or circumstances.

Mother hamsters are prone to ________, especially with their first litter

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