From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-10-20 21:34:16 UTC
Subject: RE: melatonin questions
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <5144073.1098308056370.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Author wrote:
> I do not know if the peak has been studied in ferrets but in your typical European >or North American adult studied peak production by the pineal was about 3 a.m. >(Remember that artificial light exposure should be shifting that later than the norm >without the exposure.)
FYI: that was in humans.
The production begins at about sunset due to decreased light levels and is highest in greatest levels of darkness.
Ferrets aren't descended from diurnal animals. Their ancestors had crepuscular activity whch ios dawn and dusk (low light level times) actiivity, and they tended to live in purloined burrows which are extremely dark. So, it may be that for ferrets the levels are more uniform in the bodies. Hard to know... Maybe they normally have an increase from dusk through night os maybe they also produce a lot during day when in dark burrows. Guess it possibly also depends partly how low down they go to settle in.