[ELI5] How do animals know not to inbreed?
In: Biology
There have been many studies on [inbreeding avoidance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding_avoidance) in animals. [One study in mice](https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/cp-tgb110207.php) presents evidence that they do it by smelling proteins in the urine of potential mates. Basically they instinctively prefer to breed with mates whose urine smells different from their own.
As u/rslashmiko has pointed out, this type of mechanism doesn’t prevent animals from inbreeding but it apparently makes it less likely where multiple mates are available. It’s easy to imagine that animals would evolve mechanisms like this one since it reduces the chances of genetic defects.
Mostly they don’t. Look at dogs as an example.
But for those that do, as everything else, the answer is evolution. The ones that have the tendency do it produce shitty offspring and Darwin doesn’t approve of shitty offspring.
They don’t. Ask anyone who has had gerbils. They screw their siblings and cousins and breed until you have a house full of one-eyed, 3 legged little mother f***.
I. Am. Not. Even. Kidding.
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