Guinea Pig Teeth

[GingerbreadEddy]

my guinea pigs' teeth are getting pretty long even though I give them some hard vegetables, and lots of toys to chew on.
is there anything I can do to shorten them?

 

[Gia]

I wouldn't be too worried about the front. How old are your pigs? Do they constantly have hay?

 

[GingerbreadEddy]

they do have hay all the time.
one is 6 months and the other is 4 months

 

[DM030819]

@GingerbreadEddy Guinea pigs teeth do look long but that's how they're supposed to be. If they're not wearing at an odd angle and the pig is eating fine then I wouldn't worry.

 

[Claire W]

 

[GingerbreadEddy]

ok, thank you so much

 

[Wiebke]

my guinea pigs' teeth are getting pretty long even though I give them some hard vegetables, and lots of toys to chew on.
is there anything I can do to shorten them?

Hi!

It is the back teeth that are the crucial ones in guinea pigs; they are very fast growing because they have evolved against the very abrasive silica in hay and grass, which should make over 80% of the daily food intake for long term dental and gut health and enhanced longevity. A good hay based diet with unlimited timothy, meadow or orchard hay is key to dental hygiene and to prevent the premolars from growing spurs that can trap the tongue and prevent swallowing.

The front teeth are self-harpening in a balanced dental system and do not need any attention by you or your vet.
Check whether they they have nice and even ends and that there are no slants or jagged tips. Overgrowing incisors (caused by overgrowing back teeth) will grow inwards and no longer meet when chewing. If your incisors are looking tidy at the end, you'll know that the back is ticking along nicely. Rodent incisors do look too long to the uninitiated, but they aren't; they are just fine and need leaving alone in healthy piggies!

Indeed, any clipping by vets of the old school will contribute towards unbalancing the dental system and cause problems instead of curing them! Not understanding how the dental system work shas caused countless guinea pigs and rabbit unnessary harm and not rarely an early death in the olden days.

You can provide chewing for fun, but don't spend a lot of money on expensive shop stuff that is usually ignored. An apple, pear or willow tree twig is much better and won't cost you anything!