Malocclusion Question

[SoDak Thriver]

Hello RT!

Question: Is malocclusion strictly genetic, or are there environmental factors that can cause it?

Details:
I have never had malocclusion in my herd before, but I now have a litter with 3 of 8 rabbits with the issue. I culled two because they were not able to eat at all. The third has just one bottom tooth out of alignment and is gaining weight at pace with her sibs and will make fryer weight just fine. I'll leave her unless she looks uncomfortable or in pain.

This is the second to last litter from my venerable sire Upgrade. He was 3 yrs 9 months old and he was producing small litters at this point. We have a new buck now.

 

[Dood]

It can be caused by trauma - breaking a tooth or their jaw - but I doubt that is the cause in your case due to the age of the rabbits and I assume they are kept in a cage and don't have anything they might slam their face against

Some toxins found in food or water can cause skeletal birth defects

 

[Prisma]

Some times genes don't mesh well and its a fluke...BUT as Dood said in this case don't believe its a fluke OR by injury. I'd say its lurking and two carriers just never got bred together.

When I ran into it with my LHs, I culled the whole lot and kept few of the specials for pets that didn't have bad teeth. If being used for personal meat, won't matter much...just can't sell any offspring :/

 

[Homer]

If you're talking Lion Tooth just cut them off with some small side cutters. Like said above they'll be fine to eat but don't sell them. You may have to trim them a couple times before they make weight. Some grow extremely fast! I think it is genetic in that I had a Flemish Giant Doe that had the issue with 3 litters in a row. Off to camp Kenmore with all of them.

 

[SoDak Thriver]

Thanks, everyone! I'm sure injury is not the issue, so I'm glad to hear that judicious culling is my solution since we have Cali meat rabbits. :lol:

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have had some of that with pairing of certain does, with a particular buck, [when working at a large rabbitry] - like said above- some don't mesh well, --but, when bred to another buck or doe they are fine--