Beavers groom frequently, both in the lodge and on land, to remove debris from the coat and to waterproof it with oil from anal glands. When the animal emerges from the water to groom, it may start with its face and head, or with its belly. It begins by raking the fur with its fingernails, and then gets some difficult to reach spots with its hind feet. The two inner toes on each hind foot are modified for grooming. The innermost toe nail opens and closes over the toe, like a bird’s beak, and functions like a coarse toothed comb. The second toe has a “split nail” or “double nail”. The former term is more commonly used but the latter term is, perhaps, more accurate. It really is a double nail: It has a true nail and an additional horny growth between the true nail and the toe. The additional horny growth has a finely serrated upper edge which serves as a fine toothed comb.

Of course a beaver grooming is a camera ready moment, but two beavers grooming eachOTHER, well that just resets the whole scale for cuteness. She says beavers mostly do mutual groom in the lodge, but we know that’s not exactly true.

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