Recurrence of Breeding After Cessation of Suckling in the Marsupial Perameles Nasuta.

Abstract

Recurrence of breeding was observed in female P. nasuta after suckling was terminated by removing young from the pouch. Animals from which litters less than 6 days old were removed came into oestrus and were fertilized 17-26 days later, as determined from the ages of young subsequently found in their pouches. When young more than 10 days old were removed, oestrus returned in 5-10 days. It is concluded that removal of litters is a feasible method for obtaining subsequent litters of known age for studies of reproductive and developmental processes. The length of the oestrous cycle of P. nasuta maintained in a 1.5-ha enclosure is approximately 20 days.