What can lack of appropriate bedding and disturbing the nest during cleaning cause?

• A. Death of offspring due to abandonment or cannibalism
• B. Increased fertility
• C. Weight gain
• D. Fewer offspring

Answer: (A)

Rodent mothers rely on a warm, secure nest to nurture and protect their pups. Without appropriate bedding, the pups can become cold and stressed, and the dam may struggle to regulate temperature and comfort for the litter. Disturbing the nest during cleaning adds acute stress to the mother, which can disrupt maternal behavior and bonding. In many small rodents, this combination of inadequate nesting and nest disturbance can trigger a protective or energy-conserving response that leads to abandonment of the pups or even cannibalism of weak or stressed offspring. This direct consequence—death of offspring due to abandonment or cannibalism—is the outcome most consistently observed in response to poor nesting conditions and nest disruption. The other options don’t fit this mechanism: lack of bedding and nest disturbance don’t increase fertility or cause weight gain, and while some reproductive issues can occur, the immediate and documented consequence here is pup death from abandonment or cannibalism.