Extreme Barbering

Question
QUESTION: Hello Natasha =]

I wrote you I belive about my one mouse who had been scratching at her ears making them bloody. I had gotten a page about excessive grooming and how to keep her distracted. Well it got so bad I went to the vet after a few visits and meds for mites she finally realized that there were bite marks around the edges of her ears. So now we belive its a case of her sister barbering her I gave her antibiotics hoping they would heal up and I wouldn't see much trouble but there are fresh bite marks on her ears nd I am see her lose hair and having more scabs so now I am really worried. My vet wants me to separate them but I want that to be my last resort heck I don't want to at all first off all there feeders so I think there sisters and second there almost 7 months old not only are they older but they have been together forever. I cant bare separating them and the one with bad ears is so high stress I don't think she will do good without her sister with her. Please help me is there anything I can do to stop the barbering or atleast make it mild enough I don't have to worry she may be bald but not scabie maybe I can change the cage around every few days to keep the barber busy? I just want the last of there days together and in relative comfort.

ANSWER: Dear Nikki,

Usually I do say if barbering is severe the mice need to be separated.  However, I have been reading about barbering recently.  Something that has worked for some people is to add more mice!  A larger group of mice in a larger cage changes the dominance dynamic.  it isn't certain whether a mouse barber is being aggressive or feeling threatened, but when there is a more complicated mouse hierarchy, the barbering often stops.  Another advantage to trying this is that if it still doesn't work out, there may be one mouse that the barber can live with without the problem.  In this case I also suggest getting a couple of adult mice-- usually one would want to introduce a little one to minimize dominance problems-- but in this case you actually want a hierarchy upheaval.

If you ever do have to separate mice and somebody lives alone, keep her cage as close to the others as possible.  They do communicate between cages, we just can't hear that high. Also a single mouse needs an awful lot of  quality human time-- at least an hour a day.  That may sound like a lot, but she can easily sit on your shoulder or in your sleeve as you read or watch TV.  

I wish you all the very best of luck.  

squeaks,

Natasha

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have them in a big tank it sounds like fun to have more how will I introduce them without fights or anything thou?

If I do separate them I don't mind spending lots of time with them my mom and I take them out every night for a hour or more together any way is it possible we could still do this with supervision? So if they live alone they can atleast still see each other every day for a hour.

Answer
Dear Nikki,

The best way to introduce mice is to put them in a clean cage that doesn't smell like any of the mice, and apply a dab of  REAL vanilla to their behinds and necks.  Ground up vanilla bean is even better.

Chasing and squeaking is fine.  Blood is not.

You can have the mice out together supervised.  They will probably be fine.

Have fun!

Squeaks n giggles,

Natasha