When Do Baby Rabbits Get Teeth?

Baby rabbits grow quickly. Rabbit owners are often surprised by their pet’s rapid changes. I recommend if you own a baby rabbit that you research how your pet’s growth and development during his first year.  Actually, I get asked by people all the time about a baby rabbit’s teeth development. So, when do baby rabbits get teeth? Baby rabbits get their teeth around 19 to 21 days of age. They usually begin to nibble on hay and other adult rabbit foods such as vegetables and fruits.

What Does A Baby Rabbit’s First Eight Weeks Of Growth Look Like?

• Cute Phase-10 to 12 days old-Bunny opens his eyes and fur starts growing.
• Explorer-12 to 18 days old-Bunny will explore his surroundings, even venturing outside his nest into his cage. He might need help getting back into the nest, his mother won’t pick him.
• Not quite on his own-19 days old-By this time, the baby rabbit is more independent. He’s moving around the cage, eating what adult rabbits eats. He’s still nursing which gives him added immunities. Usually by this age, a baby bunny has teeth.
• Leaving home for good-8 weeks old-By this time, baby rabbits should be weaned. They’re eating only adult rabbit food of hay, vegetables and fruits. They should be altered because they are sexually mature.

When Do Baby Rabbits Get Teeth? Teething?

Around the third or fourth week of your baby rabbit’s life, he’ll get his teeth. Around this time, he’ll begin to nibble on hay and his mother’s food at that time, although he’ll continue nursing until he’s weaned at 8 weeks. Because rabbits are herbivores, they only eat vegetables, water and other plant based foods. Rabbits diet usually includes grass hay, vegetables and water.

Is My Baby Rabbit Teething?

Baby rabbits don’t really teeth since they never lose their teeth. Their teeth will continue to grow their entire life. Chewing is a natural instinct for rabbits that keeps their teeth well trimmed. Baby rabbits enjoy chewing so be put lots of hay in the cage for your bunny and his mother. Rabbits need hay to keep their teeth well trimmed and for their digestive system. You can also give your baby rabbit tree or shrub branches or leaves from:

• Apple
• Birch
• Spruce
• Willow branches
• Ash
• Rose leaves
• Pear branches
• Poplar
• Maple
• Blackberry
• Hazel
• Fir tree
• Raspberry

Never give your rabbit branches from a tree unless you are sure it’s safe. Some tree branches are poisonous for your pet rabbit. If you suspect your rabbit has been poisoned, contact your vet immediately.

What Happens If My Baby Rabbit Doesn’t Chew Enough?

Your baby rabbit’s teeth will grow continually throughout their life. Because of this, you’ll need to give him lots of opportunities to chew. Make sure his cage has enough hay. Hay is the fibrous, with fine rough edges. Chewing on hay keeps your baby rabbit’s teeth trimmed down naturally. You can also give him toys that he can safely chew on to help keep his teeth trimmed down. If your pet rabbit doesn’t chew enough his teeth will grow too long.  Overgrown teeth cause misalignment of a rabbit’s teeth, jaw problems, drooling, weight loss and sores in where the lower teeth cut the gums. If left untreated, your rabbit might need jaw surgery. It can cause lifelong problems for your pet rabbit. If you’re not sure if your pet rabbit’s teeth are getting too long, consult with your vet. He/she can also trim your rabbit’s teeth if you don’t think your rabbit is chewing enough.

What If My Pet Rabbit’s Tooth Fell Out?

Rabbit’s don’t loose teeth and get new ones like humans do. If your pet rabbit’s tooth fell out it’s probably from a fall or accidentally knocking his teeth on something hard. Sometimes rabbits chew or pull too hard and their teeth will get knocked out or chipped. Once in awhile a rabbit loses a tooth because of an abscess or root damage in his teeth. If you’re unsure why your rabbit lost his tooth, you should take him to your vet to have him checked. Abscesses or root damage is dangerous for your pet.

How Many Teeth Will A Baby Rabbit Eventually Have?

Rabbits have 28 total teeth.These include:

• Four incisors(two at the top and two on the bottom0
• Two small pet like teeth on the top behind the incisors. These are called auxiliary incisors or peg teeth.
• Cheek teeth used to grind food-these include: 
  • 6 upper premolars
  •  4 lower premolars
  •  6 upper molars
  • 6 lower molars.

Should I Check My Baby Rabbit’s Teeth?

Once your rabbit has teeth, it’s good to keep an eye on his teeth’s development and growth. Here’s some suggestions on how to check your pet rabbit’s teeth:

Check his face and head-Gently feel along your rabbit’s jawline. There shouldn’t be bumps or bulges or any areas. Press firmer, if your rabbit jumps or acts like he’s in pain, that could indicate there’s some sore or infection around his teeth area.

Look at his incisor teeth- These teeth are at the front of the jaw. Gently open your rabbit’s mouth into a “smile.” The four teeth you see, two at the top and two at the bottom are the incisor teeth. See if they are loose or chipped. Are they even or uneven? Does the gum area look clean and pink? There shouldn’t be any blood or purplish colors which could indicate bleeding or bruising. If possible, try to see if your rabbit’s teeth come together in the front correctly. If not, this could be malocclusion which means his teeth are overgrown. He can’t eat or chew correctly if he has malocclusion.

Peg teeth-The peg teeth are behind the upper incisors. It’s difficult to see these teeth, and fortunately a rabbit’s peg teeth don’t usually cause them trouble.

Cheek teeth- Your pet rabbit’s grinding teeth are also called cheek teeth. They are far back inside your rabbit’s mouth so you won’t be able to check them from outside, but you can be on the lookout for other symptoms of teeth problems:

• Wet mouth-Wet fur or discolored fur around your rabbit’s mouth could indicate malocclusion.
• Hungry, but not eating- This is also a symptom of teeth overgrowth. If his teeth are too long, they can cut into his gums causing sores. The pain makes rabbits stop eating.
• Jawline pain-If you touch your pet rabbit’s jaw and he flinches, it could mean he’s got an infection in his teeth or jaw area.
• Weight loss-This is a possible symptom of malocclusion especially if you don’t see him chewing or eating.
• Stinky breath- Rabbits should have sweet smelling breath since they chew hay. If your rabbit’s breath is bad, it could mean teeth problems.
• Grinding sound-A rabbit will grind his teeth if they’re bothering him. This is a different sound than a rabbit normally makes.

If you notice any of these symptoms, call your vet immediately. Your rabbit’s teeth are essential for his good health and happiness. Overgrowth teeth only get worse over time. Your vet can help trim your pet rabbit’s teeth down and help relieve your pet of any pain he’s experiencing.

Baby rabbits get teeth early and start chewing right away. Because your rabbit’s teeth will grow continuously his entire life, it’s important that you give him plenty of things to chew. Hay is the best thing your rabbit can chew. He also needs other things such as safe toys, wood branches or leaves to chew.