A Rabbit’s Teeth Never Stop Growing

The large front teeth of the rabbit are known as incisors. Although they receive all the attention, an adult rabbit has a complete set of 28 teeth. Two on top, two on bottom, and two "peg teeth" make up the total of six incisors. These little teeth are situated just behind the upper incisors. Along the sides of their jaws, rabbits also have "cheek teeth" that are 12 on top and 10 on the bottom. Rabbits cut through the hard, fibrous plants they eat with the help of their incisors, which have sharp edges. Their cheek teeth assist them in breaking down their food into smaller, simpler-to-swallow chunks.

In the wild, this set of teeth is beneficial. Because they are herbivores and eat thorny plants, rabbits are the reason for this. Without a doubt, rabbits would enjoy munching on carrots all day long like Bugs Bunny. However, the majority of them must eat other foods to thrive. They consume weeds, hay, fibrous grasses, leaves, twigs, and even small pieces of tree bark. These foods wear down their teeth as they are consumed. Thankfully, rabbit teeth have another distinctive characteristic.

The exposed roots in a rabbit's teeth allow them to develop continuously. In actuality, they grow three to five inches longer every year. Because rabbits eat such hard stuff, one of the interesting facts about rabbits is their teeth are never stop growing.

While beneficial for wild rabbits, pet rabbits raised in captivity may experience dental issues as a result of their continual tooth growth. Pellets, which are fed to most pet rabbits, do not wear down the teeth as quickly as real grass does. Owners of rabbits must therefore combine fresh Timothy hay and wooden chew toys with pellets. This aids the constant tooth-grinding of their dogs.