Tarsiers, like many other primates, engage in grooming behaviors to maintain their fur, remove debris, and establish social bonds within their group when they interact with others. Here are some aspects of how tarsiers groom themselves:
1. **Licking and Biting:** Tarsiers use their tongues to lick their fur, removing dirt, dust, and other foreign particles. They may also bite and nibble at their fur to address specific areas that need attention.
2. **Scratching:** Tarsiers use their hands and claws to scratch various parts of their body. This can help alleviate itching and discomfort, as well as remove loose fur and parasites.
3. **Mutual Grooming:** In some cases, tarsiers in the same social group or breeding pair may engage in mutual grooming. Mutual grooming involves one tarsier grooming another and vice versa. This behavior helps strengthen social bonds within the group.
4. **Mouth Grooming:** Tarsiers are known to use their mouths to groom themselves, including their fingers and toes. They may nibble and clean their digits, which are essential for grasping tree branches.
Grooming serves several purposes for tarsiers. It helps them maintain their fur in good condition, promotes social cohesion within their group, and aids in the removal of external parasites. Additionally, grooming behaviors are a way for tarsiers to communicate and strengthen social bonds, which are important for their overall well-being and social structure.