Breeding the short-nosed Bandicoot, Isodon macrourus (Gould), in captivity.

Abstract

The short-nosed bandicoot is polyoestrous, breeding all the year round in the vicinity of Brisbane. Females may breed when only half grown. In captivity, one female has produced eight litters in 17 months, totalling at least 32 young, most of which she destroyed early in their life. The gestation period is less than 15 days. Up to seven young may be born at one time. There are eight teats in the pouch. The length of the oestrous cycle was not determined. The young are born in the embryonic stage usual in marsupials. They are naked and blind, with the lips fused at the sides. They have relatively well-developed nostrils and fore limbs, and are able to make, unaided, the journey from the median vaginal canal to the exterior, and thence to the pouch. They weigh about 0.18 g, and measure about 14 mm from crown to rump. Deciduous claws, shed during the first week of life, are present on the second, third, and fourth digits of the manus. The young remain attached to the teats for about 7 weeks, when they are fully haired, the lips have separated, teeth erupted, and the eyes opened. They continue to suckle for about 10 days longer. The maximum weights recorded for adult animals are 2045 g for a female and 2870 g for a male.