Parental Behaviors in Rats and Mice

Abstract Parental care in mammals is often critical for survival and development of the offspring. The multiple behaviors that comprise parental care in rats and mice are controlled by a complex array of factors. This unit describes the components of parental care in rats and mice and the frequently used methods to assess the performance of these behaviors, a subject's preference for pup‐related cues, as well as a subject's motivation to act parentally.