Permission to Bite: White-footed mice show no increased grooming response to tick infestation

Author:

Brown, JE, Chuard, P, and Machtinger, ET

Publication type:

Journal Article

Publication date:

2025-08

Journal/Series title:

J Zool (1987)

Volume:

326

Issue:

URL:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40837452/

Abstract:

Grooming frequency was not significantly affected by tick parasitism, regardless of the number of attached ticks. While this study was the first to quantify behavior on lab-reared white-footed mice in response to blacklegged tick parasitism, further work is needed to determine how wild-caught white-footed mouse behavior might differ.