A female hamster (right) is not happy, and makes it known. (Credit: Frank Scherbarth)
What makes female Siberian hamsters ready to duke it out in the winter? Melatonin.
The same hormone gaining popularity as a natural sleep aid plays a major role in seasonal aggression in female hamsters, according to new research. The study, published this week in the Proceedings of the Royal Academy B, is a collaboration between the Indiana University Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences’ departments of Biology and Psychological and Brain Sciences.
