The 4 need-to-knows: keeping your rabbit’s teeth healthy

Sadly, rabbit dental disease is a common problem. In our pet rabbits, overgrown and misaligned teeth are most commonly due to being fed a diet too low in fibre. This causes their continually growing teeth to wear unevenly, forming razor sharp spurs on the edge of their teeth. These can painfully dig into the tongue and mouth making them vulnerable to infection and the formation of facial and tooth root abscesses. In some cases, the pain from rabbit dental disease can be so severe that it can prevent your bunny from eating at all! So, taking good care of your bunny’s teeth is vital.

Why are pet rabbits so prone to dental disease?

To answer this, we need to look at their wild cousins. Rabbits in the wild spend all day grazing on grass and foraging for vegetation. Grass is high in fibre and abrasive, promoting a special side-to-side chewing action. This chewing action helps keep their teeth worn down evenly and stops them from becoming overgrown.

How can you keep your pet bunny’s teeth healthy?

There are a few things you can do, but the key is to feed them on a well-balanced high-fibre diet, which mirrors the way they feed in the wild. To help you achieve this and avoid your bunny needing a rabbit dental at the vets, here are our top tips:

1. Feed them an unlimited amount of good quality hay

Unfortunately, we can’t feed our bunnies as much grass as they would get in the wild. So, the next best thing is to feed a good quality hay and feed plenty of it! Hay, like grass, is rich in special type of fibre called ‘long-fibre’ and abrasive silica crystals. This encourages a side-to-side abrasive chewing action. So, you should offer unlimited hay and a good rule of thumb is to aim for a mound of hay roughly the same size as their body, daily.

When picking your hay, remember quality is vital. Hay should be green, nice and dry, sweet smelling and free from dust and moulds. Our premium quality, high in fibre Science Selective Timothy Hay is tasty and full of that all-important long-fibre. It also encourages natural foraging behaviour thanks to its enticing mix of leaves and stems.

2. Avoid sugary treats and foods – go high fibre instead!

Bunnies are known for having a bit of a sweet tooth and love nibbling on sweet and juicy apple and carrots – yum! Now this may sound innocent and even healthy, but these foods are naturally high in sugars, which can be damaging to your bunny’s teeth and difficult for them to digest. So, keep these for special, occasional treats only.

Instead opt for a healthy high-fibre alternative, like our Selective Naturals Orchard Loops. Not only are they high in fibre, but they have no added sugar, making them great for rabbit dental health and perfect for hiding around your bunny’s enclosure for some foraging fun. Remember even healthy treats should be fed in moderation. When it comes to our Selective Naturals range you should allow a maximum of two to four treats daily, depending on the size of your pet.

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3. Don’t over-do the nuggets

Rabbit food, although a nutritious and important component of your bunny’s diet, should not be the main event. In fact, nuggets should only account for a small proportion of your rabbit’s daily feed intake, with hay being the top priority. Nuggets alone are not as effective at wearing down your bunny’s teeth, as they are eaten differently. Also, feeding too many nuggets and not enough hay can quickly lead to other issues, including obesity and boredom.

Ideally, when looking for a good nugget, make sure it is high in fibre and has no added sugar, like our Science Selective Rabbit Food range. These nuggets are designed to promote good dental health. Remember, the best way to offer rabbit food is with a carefully measured portion in the morning and evening only.

Bunnies with dental problems are prone to developing sharp spurs on their cheek teeth. These can dig into their cheeks and tongue and make them vulnerable to infection and the formation of painful facial and tooth root abscesses. As part of your daily rabbit care routine, make sure you gently feel along their jawline and over their face for any lumps or bumps that could be abscesses. If you do notice any, get them booked in with your vet as soon as possible.

So remember, to keep your bunny’s teeth in tip-top shape and evenly worn, feed a high-fibre diet made up of: