Self Barbering? Maybe?

[LA]

I noticed a bit ago (week or two) that Lily's front 'arm' seemed to have less fur. And now it seems worse, and it also looks like it's happening on the other side.

Here are pictures:

What are your thoughts on this. I never see her or anyone else really bite at her arm. I know she's a more nervous rat, so maybe it's that. I am really not sure.

 

[Godmother]

Sure looks like barbering. One of my little foster girls bared both arms and was starting to do her chest!

 

[starfoot]

Yup looks like barbering... keep an eye on it and that it doesn't get worse as that'll be a sign of stress maybe... I don't know much about it.

My Jiggy has a patch on her forearm about the size of a pea.. I've seen her m unching it, but it never gets bigger and there aren't any patches elsewhere... I'm not sure, as she's certainly not ill or stressed...

Keep us updated.... Maybe she's just an action girlie and has rolled her sleeves up ready for anything!

 

[mamarat]

Jedy does that too and his arms look like your Lily's.

 

[Godmother]

Hey, maybe our vets can get together and produce a scientific article "Trichotillomania in rats"!

 

[starfoot]

Oooo interesting godmother!! I wonder if it's a similar thing?? Could it be that it starts as a sign of stress then becomes an obsessive compulsion in rats too?? Or maybe just a habit? I really wish rats could communicate to us using words... then not only would they be our best friends, they'd be our soulmates and gossip buddies too!

 

[lilspaz68]

I think its a nervous habit at times. Kind of like chewing your nails I was an avid nail chewer and I can grow my nails during good times but as soon as I start worrying over a rat or 3...buh-bye!

Some are just bored, and need more entertainment, just like bar chewers but some are very dedicated and will barber their cagemates as well. :roll:

 

[LA]

Well Lily is definately a bar chewer as well. Is there anything that can be done?

EDIT: I wish I knew what her problem was.

 

[jorats]

LA, you might find that she may stop her barbering once you get a bigger cage.
My Simon started to barber himself. I watched him to see what he was stressing over. Finally, when I started to feed him on his own and not in a group, he stopped barbering.
It can be something simple or more in which case, you can't do much except watch it so it doesn't go deep.
Currently, my Cande is constantly chewing the bars. I have no idea why. But I know she's bothered by something... just got to figure out what?

 

[Moon]

If it makes you feel better LA, Maeby started bar chewing about 4 months ago. She still does now even though their cage is PLENTY big. And there is lots to do in there and chew on.

 

[Godmother]

I was joking about the trichotillomania, but I guess it's worth thinking about. Those kinds of habits are thought to arise out of vestiges of animal grooming behaviour, which can become excessive under a number of situations.

For example, some people do all those kind of nervous habits more when they are drinking a lot of coffee or feel under stress. then they can become self-reinforcing and really hard to break.

i'm pretty sure that rats do excessive grooming if they take stimulants in lab experiments.

Sure is hard to imagine what the possible stressor for a pet rat is, though. One of my foster girls, now with SQ, had herself well on the way to bald. She didnt' seem to have any problems: nobody picked on her, she got her share of the food. I was thinking that she'd stop doing it once she went to SQ's happy ratty home, where everyone gets to run wild on the couch and sneak off for adventures, but I think she still does it.

Perhaps she secretly sneaks onto the table and drinks coffee? :lol:

 

[LA]

TEEHEE I was wondering why I found the cream out on the counter late at night.

I feel that animals can have the same things as humans, they worry and fuss so it is definately possible to have other stuff like trichotillomania.

 

[jorats]

I know of a horse with Tourette syndrome!

 

[SQ]

Actually godmother, little Deborah is a double rex want-to-be. :wink:
Pictures soon ... I hope ....