How to Keep a Rabbit's Teeth Short

Pet rabbits can become important members of a family, behaving similarly to other domesticated pets. Caring for a rabbit's teeth is important. If rabbits do not receive foods that require them to use their front incisors and back molars regularly, these teeth will continue to grow. Allowing a rabbit's teeth to grow unabated may create a serious dental problem called malocclusion. Keep a rabbit's teeth short by feeding it the proper foods.

Things You'll Need

  • Stem hay (oat, alfalfa or timothy)
  • Root and leafy vegetables
  • Rabbit pellets, at least 18-percent fiber
  • Sticks and twigs
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a supply of fresh hay into your rabbit's cage every day. Ensure that the hay is available at all times. The Pet Place website recommends stem hay rather than leaf hay because it requires more chewing.

    • 2

      Provide three different vegetables for your rabbit each day. Serve a variety of both root and leafy vegetables to give your rabbit ample chewing time and important vitamins. For example, include beet greens, carrots, celery, endive, green peppers, mint, parsley, radish tops, romaine lettuce and wheat grass.

    • 3

      Serve rabbit pellets in addition to the vegetables. Provide fresh pellets daily.

    • 4

      Give your rabbit sticks and twigs from apple trees, maple trees, pine trees and willow trees.

    • 5

      Monitor your rabbit's eating habits. If a rabbit begins to eat less or stops eating, that may be an indication of the onset of dental problems.

    • 6

      Check your rabbit's mouth for dental problems once every 2 weeks. Feel your rabbit's face with your fingertips, beneath the eyes, along the cheekbones and along the jawbone to detect any bumps or growths. Look at your rabbit's face to make sure it looks symmetrical. Look inside the rabbit's mouth. Take your rabbit to a veterinarian if the front teeth do not touch evenly.

    • 7

      Watch for drooling, eye discharge and runny nose because these symptoms may indicate malocclusion. Smell your rabbit's breath as bad breath indicates dental problems.