Etiology:  Barbering in mice, depending on their genotype, is a complex behavior.  Barbering most often occurs in female mice and can be attributed to dominant behavior, sexual over-grooming, maternal barbering in lactating mice, and stress-evoked barbering [1].

Incidence:  The incidence of barbering is common.

Clinical signs:  The hair over the nasal and orbital regions or the dorsal cervical area is most often barbered.  The exposed skin is intact and normal in appearance.

1.            Kalueff, A.V., et al., Hair barbering in mice: implications for neurobehavioural research. Behav Processes, 2006. 71(1): p. 8-15.