Why Does My Rat's Eyeballs Bounce? Is My Fancy Rat Injured? Eye Boggling and Bruxing Explained!

Almost all of us have seen this in action; the rat is lounging around in our laps, chilling out on the sofa, or hiding out in the corner of his or her cage.... all of a sudden, the rat's eyeballs begin to bounce! It is always accompanied by a chattering of the teeth, or bruxing, and is most definitely a freaky experience to witness for those who are not experienced with rats. It may even be viewed as aggressive or alarming; but is it really something to worry about when your rat begins to have boggling eyes? Is your pet rat injured, sick, unhealthy, or deformed?



No! Your rat is perfectly fine!

Why Would My Rat's Eyeballs Bounce Around Then?

When you see your pet rat's eyes moving, it is because the doe (or buck) is chattering his or her teeth. When rats chatter their teeth during bruxing, it causes their eyeballs to move because of the speed and power of their jaws when chattering. Bruxing results in a sort of vibration, if you will. Thus, the vibrations affect the rest of the head. However the bouncing eyes, known as eye boggling, are the most obvious during the teeth chattering. Do not allow yourself to become alarmed, because most fancy pet rats do this. Also, red eyed rats, most commonly pink-eyed-whites, have a much more pronounced bounce. This will sufficiently freak out friends, in case you were curious.

Why Do Rats Chatter Their Teeth Together, Chewing, Making That Weird Noise? 

Yes, that noise is WEIRD. When the rats begin to chew and chatter their teeth, it is much like tooth grinding. It is done for a number of reasons. For one, it helps them to loosen, break up, and ingest any stray food particles that may be locked inside of their incisors, molars, and other teeth. The jaws move quickly, allowing them to grind away! It also helps to wear down their teeth a little bit. This is important for almost every rodent, as their teeth continuously grow. Rats tend to chatter out of comfort and relaxation as well, which you might have noticed. Every time they get cozied in, they will begin to chatter their teeth. It is adorable if you ask me, but my friends simply don't think so!

When Should I Become Worried About Bruxing and Eye Boggling?

If your rat begins to show some signs of illness or discomfort, it is time to worry. For example, if your ratty begins to have cloudy, watery, irritated eyes, you should inspect them to make sure they are not injured. If the rat begins to claw at its mouth, stretch its jaws open and back away, or otherwise show signs of struggling or discomfort, it is quite possible that the rat is choking or is trying to get something out that may be stuck in his or her teeth. Rats do not choke often, but it is definitely a possibility. Always avoid this issue by never feeding them foods they shouldn't have.