# Barbering.



## jessierose2006 (Dec 1, 2010)

I have seen this term a few times on here and had a few questions.

What causes "barbering"?

Cant you breed it out by keeping the "non-barbers"?

How can you distinguish the "barbers" from the "barberees" (if thats right...)

Is barbering a problem from inbreeding or just a natural occurence?


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Barbering is basically 'over grooming' to the point where hair is removed... it can be anything from the relatively harmless taking off a few whiskers (A pain for show breeders!) to biting down to the skin and even beyond to cause pain and infection to another mouse.

I believe its like an OCD condtion, mice can be very prone to obssessions. (But someone may correct me on this)

I know some people say not to breed from a barberer, but its not really because it is genetic as such, but it can very much be a learned behavior. If a mum barbers, her babies will too.
I have been lucky really with my show stock, in the couple of years I have been breeding show mice, I haven't had a barberer... but a few times in the past when I was breeding just pets, I did see it.

And generally the barberer is the mouse in the box that still has whiskers! hehehe Unless your real unlucky and have more than one in there!

W xx


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## jessierose2006 (Dec 1, 2010)

Oh ok.

Couldnt you foster babies to a mom without barbering tendancies and be ok? or would the babies still probably do it anyway?


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

If the female that barbers is one you really want to breed from, then yes, its certainly worth a try! Its what i'd do.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Yes. I've heard of people fostering mice from barber mothers, and the babies do not learn the barbering.


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## jessierose2006 (Dec 1, 2010)

cool. thats really quite interesting. Has anyone ever found a cure for this OCD? (j/w) I mean is that they have nothing better to do so they spend their time chewing each others whiskers off or is it more of like a Hypochodriac or something where there is no cure?


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