Natural progression of aging or tooth problems?

[Binkles]

I realize it’s ridiculous for me to be asking this question about a bunny, but..

Little-Bit has never been a ‘chewer’. Binkles gnawed everything in sight to peices, but Little-Bit has never shown much interest. But lately she’s been increasingly showing more of an interest -or need- in chewing things. (Namely my bed..) Though I think that this has also coincided with a newfound passion for burrowing, so I’m leaning towards ‘natural progression of aging’. But I just want to make sure that this isn’t possibly a sign of tooth problems. She is a little older than a year.

On a related note, are these okay to give bunnies? I always gave them to Binkles and they pretty much completely diverted her chewing. But I’ve learned so much more about bunnies and their diets since she passed, I just wanted to make sure that they are good thing to give them:

[Sarita]

Yes, that is fine to give rabbits. One of my rabbit friends rabbit’s likes these and I’ve read the ingredients and it sounds safe to me.

As for tooth problems – that is entirely possible but the only way to know is to have the vet check her teeth. It also could be just something new and fun for her to do that she has just discovered so there is also that possibility as well.

[Binkles]

Well it’s good to know that Snak Shaks are ok. I’ll go ahead and give one to Little-Bit. I think the reason that Binkles liked them in preference to other chewable toys is because they’re substantial and don’t move much when they’re chewed. So since Little-Bit likes my bed, I hope she’ll like these as well.

How quicky can tooth problems develop? When I took her to the vet in December, she checked her molars and incisors thoroughly and they were fine. Though she didn’t do x-rays or anything like that, so I’m not sure about anything internal like molar spurs, but the vet said that often times when a bunny has molar spurs they’ll have bad breath or you can feel it on the outside of the skull. Anyone confirm this?

At any rate, before I whisk her away to the vet’s an hour away, what are the signs of tooth problems? What should I be looking out for?

[Sarita]

Well it can certainly vary from rabbit to rabbit – I know Skunklionshow said that her rabbit just drooled (at least I think that’s what she said) and that can be an indication also not eating things that they normally would like pellets.

This is what happens to my rabbit Pepe he will stop eating anything and will start drooling and he also does funny things with his mouth. He also will start chewing on my pillow and is more likely to want attention. So with him it’s a number of things.

Sometimes it can also be watery eyes as well.

[Binkles]

Hmm, well she certainly hasn’t had any decreased appetite. She doesn’t seem uncomfortable when chewing things -she crushes hard things like papaya tablets easily. But she has always had a LITTLE string of gook at the corners of her eyes from time to time. Like, not a lot at all, but as far back as I can remember, she’s had it. Is that something to worry about?

[Binkles]

Well I gave her one of those logs and she has been tearing into it today. I really hope that this sudden chewing passion is just normal..

[bunnymama]

My rabbits seem to go through phases where they are chewing on furniture and then nothing. One thing I do is to wrap furniture legs with several layers of heavy duty plastic and then use duct tape to secure it. The rabbit is attracted to the square hard edge and the plastic will diminsh the sharpness of the edge. BUT it has to be on really tight and secure otherwise they will chew on that. You want to wrap it to take away the sharpness of the square edge and soon enough they move onto something else I’ve found like a binky bunny carrot basket which both of my bunnies love (they are on there 4th I think).

Also glad the little one is doing better since the upset stomach from the shak item you mention above.

[Author]

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