Sexual experience and preferences for odors of estrous females in staggerer mutant male mice

Abstract

Staggerer mutant male mice generally do not mate and olfactory disabilities may be involved. Choice tests were used to determine the preference of C57BL/6 male mice with the staggerer mutation for urine and vaginal secretions from receptive and unreceptive females. The staggerer mutation does not prevent the olfactory discrimination between vaginal secretions of estrous and anestrous females. Male preferences for odors of receptive females are related to the presence of sexual experience.