Fraying
Mouse Ethogram > Active Behaviors > Maintenance Behaviors > Nesting Behaviors > Fraying
Overview and Meaning
Fraying is a nesting behavior where the animal splits large pieces of bedding into small fibers or bites the edges of nesting material off, for use in construction of the nest.
Description
The animal uses sideways movement of the forepaws to draw material through its beak. Gnawing movements of the jaw and jerking movements with the head are also seen.
Classification
Contexts
Nesting behavior occurs in the contexts of reprodution, pup rearing, and environmental changes.
Variants
None
Fraying is part of
Nesting Behaviors
There are 8 types of nesting actions which together comprise the nesting behavior chain:
Stanford Department of Comparative Medicine presents
A Comprehensive Ethogram of the Laboratory Mouse
