Which of the following is constantly growing in rodents?

Rodents are one of the few creatures in the Animal Kingdom actually classified by their teeth- a single pair of growing incisors in both the upper and lower jaw that must be kept short by gnawing. Modern rodents are the largest and most diverse of the mammalian order, with 33 families, 481 genera and 2,277 species recognized.

Rodent incisors can be dangerous to even themselves if they are not able to or allowed to gnaw regularly. Because their front teeth grow constantly, if a rodent was unable to gnaw, those teeth would grow and grow until they curl around and begin piercing through the jaw they extend from, or they continue growing straight up and eventually pierce through the opposite jaw.

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13 Comments

Jacqueline Tattam

David Roy, that saying is due to fact that our gums recede as we age, causing the teeth to appear longer. It isn’t because our teeth are constantly growing,

Mary Anne Kalbfus

I learned this many years ago when one of our Guinea pigs lost her front teeth. I was concerned about how she would be able to eat, so l called the vet and was assured that they would grow back. Told us to give soft food and Tang for vitamin C in the meantime. In a few weeks they had grown back.

Scott Ladd

Jacqueline Tattam, long in the tooth probably started out with horses. Their incisors either grow lifelong or their gums recede. Older horses have longer/(longer appearing) teeth. I believe this is why it would be rude to look a gift horse in the mouth, (to find out how old it is). Where as rodents incisors do continue to grow and must be trimmed, as do rabbits.