Chinchilla Teeth

[Rob Walker]

I remember Dawn saying chinchilla teeth grow about 1-3mm a (week?).

Now when given fresh hay daily, wood chews, and food this helps grind the teeth down.

What is the actual process that wears their teeth down? Is it their molars grinding to chew up their food that wear the teeth down? I only ask just because hay, and pellets do not seem hard to wear teeth down.

Was wondering about chinchilla teeth.

 

[menagerie]

Unlike human teeth and other species, rodent teeth do not have a coating of dentin. It is the dentin that makes teeth hard and slow to wear away. Guinea pigs don't typically chew on wood and their teeth are kept in check by eating hay. Horses also wear their teeth down by just eating hay. Hay is very fiberous and takes a good amount of pressure to grind.

 

[ticklechin]

http://www.lafebervet.com/small-mammals/?p=2643