Bilateral olfactory bulb ablation resulted in increased handling reactivity, and decreased open-field ambulation and intraspecific aggressiveness in male and female hamsters. Bulbectomy-induced increases in handling reactivity were greater in female than in male hamsters. However, bulbectomy-induced deficits in open-field ambulation and aggressive behavior were greater in males than in females. Bulbectomy-induced increases in handling reactivity were transient in both males and females. Furthermore, bulbectomized females regained preoperative levels of open-field ambulation by the second postoperative week. In contrast, bulbectomized males exhibited levels of open-field ambulation that were below preoperative levels in all but the third postoperative week. In bulbectomized males, aggressiveness was suppressed for the duration of postoperative testing.