Do Baby Guinea Pigs Have Teeth? Let’s Find Out

Before you buy a guinea pig, you ask yourself and look for answers to many questions about their care and supervision.

One of those questions is whether when you buy a baby guinea pig, it has teeth.

Do baby guinea pigs have teeth?

Yes, baby guinea pigs are animals that are born with teeth, they have teeth in the front and along their cheeks. Guinea pigs’ teeth are constantly growing, regardless of whether they break or fall out, they grow back.

The teeth of baby guinea pigs are not milk teeth, they are constantly growing and therefore need to be worn down to be of normal size. If their teeth are overgrown, it can cause mouth injury and problems eating food.

The most important thing is that the length of the upper and lower incisors should always be normal, which is a sign that everything is fine with the teeth.

How many teeth do baby guinea pigs have when they are born?

When baby guinea pigs are born, they have two upper and two lower incisors, then a pair of upper and lower premolars, and three more pairs of lower and upper molars.

Baby guinea pigs have a diastema or a gap between two teeth, which is a characteristic of mammals and humans.

As we said, the teeth of baby guinea pigs grow constantly regardless of their age and therefore they need to wear them down constantly.

If the teeth become too large then they will be considered in eating and may cause mouth sores and gums.

The teeth of the guinea pigs are quite sharp and I could feel it on my fingers when my guinea pig was biting me, still biting me a little bit.

The color of baby guinea pigs’ teeth is white or the same as us humans.

It is very important that baby guinea pigs’ teeth are always healthy because it is necessary for them to eat normally.

Any problem with the teeth affects the overall health of the guinea pigs and makes it impossible for them to chew their food normally, which makes it difficult for the digestive system to work.

How do baby guinea pigs get their teeth cut?

If your baby guinea pig has a problem with his teeth, if they are overgrown and bother him when eating, then they should be trimmed.

The trimming of the teeth is done by a veterinarian who knows exactly how much to trim and for this purpose has tools for trimming teeth.

To prevent the baby guinea pig from having large and overgrown teeth, the most important thing is to give it a proper diet that helps the teeth to wear down, as well as use appropriate toys that help to reduce them.

How do I know if a baby guinea pig has overgrown teeth?

When baby guinea pigs have overgrown teeth it can be noticed in two ways:

  • they will not eat, which will make them lose weight
  • they will not be able to eat properly and close their mouths

When baby guinea pigs have overgrown teeth, it will affect their eating, they will refuse to eat and they will start to lose weight.

They won’t be able to close their mouths properly and will start drooling, while the fur around their mouths will always be wet.do baby guinea pigs have teeth

What are the most common dental problems in baby guinea pigs?

When baby guinea pigs have dental problems, they can get diseases and other health problems, because refusing to eat will cause them to get fewer nutrients.

Here are the most common dental problems in baby guinea pigs.

Broken teeth

If the baby guinea pig is often exposed to unfortunate injury situations, their teeth may break.

If they are deficient in vitamin C again this can be the cause of their teeth breaking.

That’s why it is necessary to make sure that the diet always has enough vitamin C and that you take care that your little guinea pig is not hit, especially when you let him out of the cage.

My guinea pig makes popcorn when I let him out of his cage and hit him uncontrollably hard objects like chairs and tables.

In any case, if the baby guinea pig is healthy, its broken teeth will grow back.

Malocclusion or misalignment of teeth

If the baby guinea pig has irregular teeth and if they are overgrown then they have malocclusion or irregularity of the teeth.

The more time passes, the worse the malocclusion will affect the baby guinea pig’s teeth.

Malocclusion can cause additional problems such as injuries, wounds, and infections, so you must take the little guinea pig to the vet.

Problems with the roots of the teeth

Baby guinea pigs may have teeth with open roots that are growing all the time and can be pushed and grow towards the jaw.

In this way, there is an appearance of elongated roots, and this is noticed by the protrusions on their lower jaw.

The easiest way to tell if a baby guinea pig has this problem is to look at their eyes because if they are bulging it is a sign that they have dental problems.

Why do baby guinea pigs lose their teeth?

Most often, baby guinea pigs lose their teeth due to vitamin C deficiency.

When they do not have enough vitamin C, they can get scurvy, which is a dangerous disease for their health and life.

Guinea pigs can only get vitamin C through their diet, so you should always ensure that this vitamin is present in their daily diet.

Your pet can also lose their teeth if they chew on very hard materials or objects.

They will grow back but as they grow your guinea pig will have trouble eating the food.

How long does it take for guinea pig teeth to grow?

The teeth of guinea pigs grow constantly, or on average about 7.5 cm per year.

Because their teeth are constantly growing, the actual length of their teeth cannot be determined.

When the guinea pig is healthy and everything is fine, the incisors as the main teeth are about 1.5 cm long, so they wear out and grow again all the time.

Do guinea pigs feel pain in their teeth?

Yes, guinea pigs feel pain in their teeth.

They feel pain just like us humans when we have an abscess or a sore in the mouth.

Toothache will create a problem for the guinea pigs because they will not be able to eat and chew their food properly, which is an additional limitation on their digestive system.

Read more: Can You Use Baby Wipes on Guinea Pigs? Let’s Find Out

Conclusion

Baby guinea pigs have teeth when they are born.

Their teeth are constantly growing and therefore need to be trimmed using toys and objects and a suitable diet such as hay.

Vitamin C is also very important for baby guinea pigs, as a deficiency causes problems and their teeth fall out.

The teeth of baby guinea pigs have a total of 20 teeth, of which they have two front and two lower incisors.

If your baby guinea pig has dental problems you should take him to the vet for an examination and help.

Read more: Guide For Newborn Baby Guinea Pigs