Rats, primates, sex and menstrual cycles. We always learn something.

So I'm a total dork and even though my behavioral neuroscience class is over with I really wanted to read the chapter on Reproductive Behavior since we didn't cover that chapter and I was very curious. It's some interesting stuff I tell you. Well in one section I was reading about the mentstral cycle in animals and this is what it said.

" The reproductive cycles of female primates is called a menstrual cycle (from mensis meaning "month"). Females of other species of mammals also have reproductive cycles called estrous cycles. Estrus means "gadfly": when a female rat is in estrus, her hormonal condition goads her to act differently than she does at other times, (For that matter, it goads male rats to act differently too.) The primary feature that distinguishes menstrual cycles from estrous cycles is the monthly growth and loss of the lining of the uterus. The other features are approximately the same- except that the estrous cycle of rats takes 4 days  Also, the sexual behavior of female mammals with estrous cycles is linked with ovulation, whereas most female primates can mate at any time during their menstrual cycles."

Ok so in other words our species totally got SCREWED! Four days for rats and ANYDAY for primates? Lucky animals! YOU ANIMALS! I think Michelle Duggar accidently got a rat uterus instead. muahahaha

Thats not it.....You thought they had it good (if your trying to concieve that is)....just wait...this was in another section.

"As Wallen pointed out, the ovarian hormones control not only the willingness (or even eagerness) of an estrous female to mate but also her ability to mate. That is, a male rat cannot copulate with a female rat that it not in estrus. Even if he would overpower her and mount her, her lordosis response would not occur, and he would be unable to achieve intromission. Thus, the evolutionary process seems to have selected animals that mate only at a time when the female is able to become pregnant."

Now that is going too far! Our species DEFINATLY got screwed! If only I were a rat I would've had millions of babies by now...haha good stuff.