Teeth grinding?

[LuckyAmi]

Hello! I'm a new rabbit owner and I had a question...

I've read in rabbit books and online about how when rabbits are happy they chatter their teeth. I'm not sure of what that is actually called. I've seen it named a few things, like teeth purring. And then I've also read about how when a bunny is in pain, they grind their teeth.

My question is, as someone who has never been around bunnies before, how can i tell the differences / recognize happy teeth chattering vs teeth grinding?

I just want to make sure I'm able to clearly tell the difference between the two.

 

[Lokin4AReason]

my girl ( at who shows it better ) grid(s) her teeth at when she is in a comfortable or relaxing state .. and w/ my boy, well, that's anther subject =0)

you can try this, try taking two finger(s) and stroke the forehead ( from the nose to the ears ). you can like feel it almost like a chattering within the head .. ( pretty neat if you ask me ). i pet her daily and she can not get enough of it =0)

 

[stevesmum]

When a rabbit is grinding their teeth in pain usually it is louder than purring and accompanied by a hunched, uncomfortable looking posture, and they just don't behave the same, refuse foods, and well usually you just know something is not quite right.

 

[LuckyAmi]

Oh, ok. So is the teeth purring usually silent?

 

[JBun]

Usually the way you tell the difference between tooth grinding from pain, and tooth purring(or chattering) from being content and happy, is by the rabbits overall body language.

Tooth purring sounds more like a very soft grinding of the teeth, or a chattering or vibrating the teeth. This will most often happen when they have settled down for a nap or when you are giving head rubs. Many rabbits will tooth purr/chatter from contentment, but not all will.

Like stevesmum mentioned, tooth grinding from pain is usually a much louder and harsher sound, and the rabbits body language will be very different(hunched up, lethargic, not moving around, shifting position frequently, squinting eyes, laying in water dish, unusual behavior changes, excessive grooming, etc). They will have usually stopped eating and pooping as well.

This link has some good info on understanding rabbits body language and how they communicate.
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

 

[stevesmum]

Interesting that laying in the water dish was mentioned. My dearly departed Miss Bun had very frequent episodes of GI stasis, and we knew she was feeling very bad when she would stick her front feet in her water dish and just stand there. But we never knew why, and I'm curious if there is a suspected reason or motive behind it?

 

[LuckyAmi]

Ahh, ok, I think I see now... Ok, for some reason I just thought that the teeth purring and (pain) tooth grinding where the only thing that would be going on, I didn't think about looking at the whole body over all to see if there were other signs to go with the tooth chattering / grinding. That's good to know. I've seen the teeth purring and I just wanted to make sure I would know the difference so if he ever does the tooth grinding from pain or sickness, I would be able to recognize it right away. Thank you for the help! Now that I know what to look for in the pain / sick tooth grinding, I feel better prepared for if there is ever a problem. :3

 

[Azerane]

Once you've heard them a bit more, you will know how to tell very easily. The tooth purring or chattering as mentioned is just that, a chattering. With Bandit, it's a very rapid, soft sound that you have to be quite close to hear. Tooth grinding from pain, is generally louder (can often be heard across a room) and is more of a harsh, crunching sound.

 

[Flick]

I have noticed 5 kinds of tooth noises and movements

1. Happy grind. It's fast and rhythmic and pretty quiet. It sorta crescendos (builds up in speed and sound) then dies down and starts over. It happens when I'm rubbing their noses. It's a pretty sound.

2. Contented grind. I hear this when they're stretched out in a relaxed manner, usually dozing. Sounds very much like "happy grind", but with no outside stimulus and it's shorter in duration.

3. Pain grind. It's loud and not rhythmic. The bunny is hunched, eyes squinted or closed. Face is tense and tight. It's almost a "clacking" sound.

4. Irritated. It's fast and loud and sounds angry (like a buzz saw) and means a nip is coming.

5. Tooth maintenance. This is a bigger movement and happens when they're grinding down their teeth. Looks like they're chewing something, but there's nothing in their mouths. Stella does this very noticeably when it's getting time for another vet visit for a tooth trim.