What Is A Good Tooth Length?

[Poppy Davis]

I was just wandering what length my guinea pigs teeth should be. I have looked it up but i havent found any reliable sources.
I have a feeling that they might be a little long because, although i give them plenty of chew toys, hay etc, they hardly chew them.
Does anyone have any idea?

 

[Wiebke]

I was just wandering what length my guinea pigs teeth should be. I have looked it up but i havent found any reliable sources.
I have a feeling that they might be a little long because, although i give them plenty of chew toys, hay etc, they hardly chew them.
Does anyone have any idea?

Healthy front teeth are self-sharpening and do not need any intervention whatsoever. The crucial bit are the back teeth, and especially the premolars which can grow spurs. To the uninitiated (that can also include general vets!), front teeth, especially the lower ones, always look longer than they should. As long as your piggies' front teeth have an even, level end to them, the whole dental system is generally working. Any unnecessary intervention can actually throw that balance and lead to long term problems.

In order to keep the molars down, a mostly hay-based diet is vital (up to 80% of the daily food intake); unlimited hay is also essential for good gut health and longevity. Gnawing and chewing toys are not needed and are often ignored by perfectly healthy piggies.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet

 

[Poppy Davis]

Healthy front teeth are self-sharpening and do not need any intervention whatsoever. The crucial bit are the back teeth, and especially the premolars which can grow spurs. To the uninitiated (that can also include general vets!), front teeth, especially the lower ones, always look longer than they should. As long as your piggies' front teeth have an even, level end to them, the whole dental system is generally working. Any unnecessary intervention can actually throw that balance and lead to long term problems.

In order to keep the molars down, a mostly hay-based diet is vital (up to 80% of the daily food intake); unlimited hay is also essential for good gut health and longevity. Gnawing and chewing toys are not needed and are often ignored by perfectly healthy piggies.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet

Thanks so much for the help It has put me totally at ease

 

[Freela]

The teeth should be fairly straight across when you view them. Generally by the time the front teeth overgrow, the molars are very overgrown and you would probably have seen some weight loss or some difficulty with chewing by then. Not all pigs like chewing toys (one of mine is actually frightened of them! LOL!) A diet composed mainly of hay is actually the best thing you can do for healthy tooth wear. The grinding motion as they chew the fibrous hay wears the molars and hence the front teeth.