Effects of neonatal castration and testosterone treatment on sexual partner preference in the ferret.

Groups of male and female ferrets were tested in a T maze to determine whether they preferred to approach and interact with a sexually active male or an estrous female. Control male and female ferrets gonadectomized (GX) on postnatal Day 35 and tested in adulthood while receiving no hormone or testosterone (T) displayed no significant preference. When given estradiol benzoate (EB), however, control males preferred stimulus females whereas control females preferred stimulus males. When tested in adulthood with EB treatment, males GX on postnatal Day 5 showed a significant reduction in their approach to stimulus females, although they did not switch their preference to stimulus males and thereby resemble control females. Female ferrets GX on postnatal Day 5 and given a high dosage of T over postnatal Days 5-20 showed a significant reduction in their approach to stimulus males, although they did not switch their preference to stimulus females, and thereby resemble control males. The results suggest that extended perinatal exposure of male ferrets to T is required for the development of a sociosexual preference for females.