# Self barbering :-( ... wanting to mate? or something else?



## Nemo (Aug 3, 2010)

Hi guys

Firstly i must say Thank you!!!, as it seems im only in here when something happens untoward. But i wouldnt know what to do without your help! Its so good to have other mousery lovers and experts to bounce things off.

Ok,...........Just recently, ive noticed my lone male Nemo is self barbering on his belly. :-(( theres quite a patch!

I was wondering if it would be because he might be bored, but he has full run out of the cage whenever he wants. Plus we are always interacting with him, so this dosent make sense. Though i have moved things around in his cage so they are not always the same. Just for a change.

So i then started wondering what could be causing this sudden case of self barbering?

I havnt changed his food!
He gets plenty of interaction from us! like an hour a day.....and the rest hes popping in and out of his cage when he feels like it (and were always around)

So what could be causing this behaviour?

its making me feel a little uneasy, as we are going away for three months abroad.... and Nemo is going to stay with very good friends, who i know will give him the same treatment as he gets here (yes im passing on these forum details if they need help at any point)
But to leave when this is going on is now worrying me. :-( even though i know animals are far more adaptive than us humans.

What causes self barbering?
Is this a sign that hes wanting to mate and getting frustrated?
Or is self barbering just a genetic hand me down behaviour?

Its a shame as i wanted to breed him as hes such a handsome boy and so kind and gentle..... :-/ Bless him. but now this has happened i dont feel like i can.... :-(

Can anyone shed light on this matter...

Thank you! 
x


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## Mouse Queen 96 (Jul 11, 2011)

This happened to me before i found out that my first mice years ago had mites. I lost two because of it, and were litterally pulling there own hair out. It was two does though that lived together, after they passed away i did a lot of looking and found out it was mites. Than i got my mice back again a 15 months ago. Now i haven't had any problems, i'd talk to your vet. If it isn't mites they can always help.


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