Teeth grinding after eating

[Haley]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post here on binkybunny about my first rabbit, Violet (2 1/2 years old, unspayed). She is the sweetest little thing but seems to grind her teeth a lot. I’ve had her for almost two weeks now.

It’s usually after she eats – she lays/flops down on her side, and then I can hear her grinding her teeth every minute or so, for a few seconds. But it’s loud – I am sitting on the couch about 5 feet away from her and can hear it.

She’s eating and drinking normally, her diet consists of hay and pellets (pellets given to me by her previous breeder/owner). 

Any thoughts on if this is good or bad? (Reading up on rabbits before getting her has caused me to think of these sweet little animals as the most fragile things in the world, so I’m trying not to overreact!)

[Bam]

Teeth-grinding can be a sign of pleasure and contentment as well as a sign of pain. The sounds are different, though. Pain-grinding is more like a chatter. A bunny in pain also most oftes sits hunched up and looks “unhappy” and is reluctant to move about.

Grinding from contentment can be rather loud as well and hearable from a distance, but it’s still a softer sound and the bunny is in a comfortable position. It’s very common in bunnies that are being pet on the head.

If your bunny seems fine, eats and drinks and poops and moves around and do rabbity stuff, then I don’t think there’s any cause for worry. Some bunnies make sounds, others are quieter.

[Haley]

Hi Bam,

Thanks for your response!! She seems happy but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks

[Elrohwen]

Yep, it can definitely be a sign of contentment, especially if they are lounging around while they do it. Mine even seem to “talk” to me, by stopping while I talk, and grinding again when I’m silent.

[Haley]

Thanks, Elrohwen! I just want to be sure. As a first time bunny owner, I never know

[Author]

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