Play fighting versus serious fighting in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Abstract

The differences between play fighting and serious fighting in golden hamsters was investigated at different ages by using an isolated-rearing technique. The purpose of the experiment was to provide information on the effect of early isolation on both play fighting and serious aggression, and to demonstrate whether the identification criteria were different for both. The results supported the importance of early social experiences on both play fighting and serious aggression.

Play behaviour, not tool using, relates to brain mass in a sample of birds

“…It is generally agreed that there are three distinct categories of play: single (or locomotory) play, object play and social play, and these categorisations have continued to be applied as meaningful categories in describing structure, and often context, of play behaviour 30 . Play fighting has quite often been treated and discussed separately, largely in small mammals 37,38 and primates 20,39 . The descriptive play categories have been used for mammals and birds alike 40 .…”

“…Published cases so far tend to be largely limited to psittacines 8,35,49 and corvida, such as magpies, ravens 7,9,41,50,51 , and very occasional even in raptors, such as Montagu's harrier 52 . Social play may include aggressive and play-fighting on the ground 37,38 and in the air 9 . In muroid rodents 53 , targeting for a fight might have grown out of amicable behaviour (e.g., social investigation, greeting, allo-grooming) rather than, as may be the case in other taxa, from agonistic behaviour and thus may have multiple precursors 53 .…”

Shaping the development of complex social behavior

“…Play deprivation can significantly impair contextually appropriate social behavior, such as agonistic and subordinate behaviors 58 . For example, play‐deprived hamsters and rats are more aggressive as adults when resolving social dominance relationships 127–129 . Play‐deprived hamsters also show increased avoidance behavior toward familiar opponents, indicating an impairment in social relationship development and social stress coping 130,131 …”

“…58 For example, play-deprived hamsters and rats are more aggressive as adults when resolving social dominance relationships. [127][128][129] Playdeprived hamsters also show increased avoidance behavior toward familiar opponents, indicating an impairment in social relationship development and social stress coping. 130,131 Animals that are reared from birth in EE exhibit changes in numerous behavioral domains, including increases in social interaction.…”