Rabbits are known for two features: two big teeth and large ears. But as a rabbit lover, you might be wondering, “how many teeth does my pet rabbit have? “. Besides, dental problems are one of the most common reasons pet rabbits visit the veterinarian. So, information concerning rabbits’ teeth is important.
To that end, this article will satisfy your curiosity about rabbits’ teeth. You’ll also find information on keeping your bunny’s teeth in good shape. Below are some questions this article will answer:
- Do Rabbits Only Have 4 Teeth?
- What A Rabbit’s Teeth Should Look Like?
- Do Rabbits Have Teeth At The Bottom?
- How Do You Know If Your Rabbit Has Overgrown Teeth?
- How Often Do Rabbits’ Teeth Need Trimming?
Do Rabbits Only Have 4 Teeth?
It’s common knowledge that rabbits have four prominent sharp front teeth. However, most people are unaware that rabbits have up to 24 more teeth. Rabbits have 28 teeth, including six incisors, ten premolars, and twelve molars.
In addition, rabbits’ teeth are in two groups – the incisors and cheek teeth. There is a gap separating them (called a diastema). The cheek teeth comprise premolars and molars.
Rabbits have two pairs of large incisors at the front of their mouth, with two smaller incisors on each side. The two pairs of small teeth are called peg teeth. Also, The cheek teeth include twelve upper teeth and ten lower ones.
The sharp edges of their incisors are for cutting off pieces of food and gnawing at twigs and other tougher food sources. On the other hand, rabbits’ cheek teeth (molars and premolars) aid in chewing food into smaller, easier-to-swallow chunks.
What A Rabbit’s Teeth Should Look Like?
When a healthy rabbit closes its mouth, the more prominent upper incisors cover most of the lower incisors’ teeth. The tips of the front teeth do not meet; instead, they overlap. The upper incisors nicely fit in front of the lower incisors.
Then again, rabbits have 22 cheek teeth, ten on the bottom and twelve on top. Their jaw is wider at the bottom than at the top. The top and bottom cheek teeth also do not meet when the rabbit shuts its mouth. The teeth alignment makes rabbits grind their teeth from side to side instead of up and down when chewing.
Only the front teeth of your rabbits are visible. The top ones should be creamy white and smooth, save for a vertical line along the middle and end in a precise chisel-shaped bite.
Your bunnies’ upper incisors should have a clean chisel-shaped bite and be creamy-white with a vertical line along the center. Discoloration of any kind is undesirable because it indicates your bunny will or has developed dental problems.
It’s more alarming if the teeth’ discoloration occurs gradually. But there is no cause for fear if the color changes overnight. It’s usually a temporary food stain. For example, if you feed strawberries to your rabbits, they may get red teeth.
By and large, rabbit teeth should be white or pale cream. So, if you observe any discoloration, take note of your rabbit’s teeth color and check again in 24 hours. You shouldn’t be concerned if the staining was only transitory. Also, healthy gums are pink rather than red or purple.
Do Rabbits Have Teeth At The Bottom?
Undoubtedly, rabbits have teeth at the bottom of their mouth. Of the 28 teeth a rabbit has, 12 are bottom teeth. The most noticeable bottom teeth are the two incisors at the front of the mouth. The lower teeth work with the upper ones to cut, chew and grind food to make swallowing easier.
The bottom teeth can become crooked, twisted, and even enter the jawbone if they are allowed to grow out of control. Overgrowth can cause discomfort and, in the majority of cases, infection.
How Do You Know If Your Rabbit Has Overgrown Teeth?
Typically, rabbit teeth alignment enables them to grind down naturally when chewing. A rabbit’s teeth, like its fingernails, continue to grow throughout its life, and misalignment can make them overgrow. Overgrowth can cause pain and make the rabbit cease eating.
Though rabbits’ overgrown teeth can lead to several problems, if identified early enough, the situation has treatment. Untreated overgrowth can cause teeth infection, major trauma, abscess, lack of appetite, and even death. That’s why it’s crucial to do a routine dental check on your rabbit.
The easiest to detect are overgrown incisors. They can grow to the point where they bend and protrude between a rabbit’s lips, and they may even penetrate the rabbit’s gums or mouth roof.
Overgrown cheek teeth, on the other hand, are challenging to see. So keep an eye out for symptoms that your rabbit’s back teeth are bothering them. The following are signs to look out for:
- Swollen jawline
- Drooling
- Difficulty chewing
- Dietary changes (e.g., Stops eating hay and will only eat pellets).
- Looking hungry but not eating
- Loss of weight
- Loud teeth grinding
- Mouth odor
- Lumps around the eyes or beneath the chin.
- Discharge from the eyes.
If your rabbit exhibits these symptoms, see your rabbit veterinarian immediately. Your rabbit may need sedation to thoroughly examine the mouth, trim the teeth, and take x-rays to see if anything else is causing the overgrowth.
Causes of Dental Problems in Rabbits
Dental problems harm the overall health of pet rabbits, and if not treated properly, they can die. The following are causes of dental problems in rabbits:
Unhealthy Diet
When rabbits eat more pellets than hay, they become vulnerable to dental issues. Thus, rabbit owners should supplement pellets with Timothy hay and wooden chew toys to aid their pets in grinding their constantly growing teeth.
Malocclusion
Poor teeth alignment causes malocclusion, which reduces chewing efficiency. Some rabbits have genetic teeth misalignment due to abnormal jaw position.
Trauma
Trauma can result from assault by another animal, biting down too hard on something, darting into a wall, or falling from a great height.
Metabolic Bone Disease
This is when the rabbit’s calcium and phosphorus levels are abnormal, causing the teeth and bone to weaken.
How Often Do Rabbits’ Teeth Need Trimming?
Rabbits’ teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, and they regrow as quickly as the tough grass or hay grinds them down. But a rabbit’s teeth do not need trimming if they are healthy. With plenty of hay and chew toys, they should be able to maintain good teeth on their own. Still, rabbit teeth do occasionally overgrow and require trimming by an expert.
Depending on how rapidly your rabbit’s teeth grow, you may need to trim its teeth every one to two months if it has genetic malocclusion. Ideally, it would be best only to trim them once a month to avoid cutting your rabbit’s teeth too short and risking other health problems.
It’s critical to examine your rabbit’s teeth regularly. If you check at least once a week, you’ll be able to tell if help is required. Suppose there is a problem act quickly before it worsens. Notwithstanding, if your rabbit’s teeth become too long, do not attempt to clip them yourself. Without the right tools and training, clipping rabbit teeth can result in fractures that lead to infection.
If your rabbit suffers from severe malocclusion, you may need to visit the veterinarian regularly for trimming. However, because the procedure can be upsetting for rabbits, your vet may prescribe removing the misaligned teeth. Teeth extraction also usually works for abscesses and other significant dental diseases.
How To Care For Your Rabbit’s Teeth
Constant chewing and grinding help keep rabbit teeth healthy. Therefore, give your rabbit enough chewing opportunities to wear down their teeth naturally.
Diet
Unquestionably, the most significant factor in rabbits’ dental health is their diet. Hay is the most vital nourishment you can provide your rabbit, and it should account for about 80% of your rabbit’s diet for optimum health.
For rabbit teeth to wear down properly, they must chew their meal in a side-to-side motion. This motion is only possible with foods containing long fibers, such as grass and hay. Timothy hay is tougher than other types of hay. Thus, It’s beneficial to rabbit dental health since it best grinds down bunny teeth.
For the most part, pellets and greens are okay, but they don’t help with teeth care. Having a selection of hays can encourage your rabbit to consume more because they will be exposed to a broader range of flavors.
Chew Toys
Rabbit teeth respond well to wooden toys. Pinecones, small fresh branches from fruit trees, or other rabbit-safe wood are ideal chew toys. Examples of safe wood are maple, dogwood, Willow, mesquite, etc.
If you buy wood toys from a store, make sure they are pesticide-free or chemical-free. Also, avoid toxic woods like cedar.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, we cannot overstate the significance of a good diet in maintaining pet rabbits’ health. You can help care for your bunnies’ teeth with a healthy hay-based diet and regular dental examinations.
Finally, with the help of this article, you no longer have to ask, “how many teeth does my pet rabbit have? “You now know rabbits have 28 teeth.