Rat barbaring

Question
I have 2 female blue rats. We just love them. One of the females (Lola) keeps grooming the other (Mia)all the time and now Mia has bald spots and some scabbing.  How do I get Lola to ease up on grooming her sister so much?

Answer

If your sure its from excessive barbering you will also notice where the fur is also damaged by licking and chewing as the fur appears to be broken like a blunt cut or  even singed off. Usually there are no scabs in the bald areas though, but rather, under the fur. The areas that are barbered are usually smooth bald areas from constant licking.
Unfortunately there is no real treatment for barbering unless there is infection noted from bites etc... and that would mean just a dab of neosporin if its superficial.

I am sure your after answers as to how to make her stop and to be honest, its a behavior problem or a problem with alpha status with the one doing the excessive barbering being the one that is alpha!

Dos Mia try to run from Lola and is she able to run and hide in a hidey house to get away? Often a rat that is being power barbered will run from the one that does it and hide so be sure she has places she can go.
You can always remove Lola from doing it every time you see her but rats really dont understand NO or STOP for the most part.  Not when they are doing something that is natural for them.
Provide lots of stimulation since barbering isnt always from dominance and could be from boredom as well.  Do you have lots of toys and even a wheel in the cage?


I forgot to ask...how old are they?