What does burxing sound like?

[Ricka]

That must sound like a really stupid question but I've never had rats before.  I've read about burxing but I've never heard it, although I may have heard it this morning.

Arthur and Zaphod were playing outside the cage this morning while I was doing their morning routine, fresh food, water, cage mess clean ups etc.  Arthur was running around under his play blanket and we heard what sounded like he was chewing on one of his lab blocks.  I assumed he'd grabbed a piece of food and had dashed under his favorite blanky to eat it.  He poked his head out and we could still hear him making the odd chewing noise, but no food was in his mouth.  His mouth was closed and I didn't see his jaw moving.  I figured if he was grinding his teeth I should see his mouth moving.  He made the chewy/griding sound for a good five minutes while he dashed around, played with toys, and ran up our arms to perch on our shoulders.

We've had them for two months and we've never heard them do this.  Was my rattie burxing at last?  Is he a happy rattie?   

[lilspaz68]

Usually they stay very still while bruxing not dash around but it does sound like your boy was bruxing.    They do grind their teeth when in pain, stressed or sick as well, but he sounds like he was just fine.    Congrats on the bruxing boy.  Bet you can't wait for your first boggle now.   

[Kendra]

Here are some bruxing videos (with boggling included!):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1748212380883823428&q=brux&hl=en

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVApP80LJUc

[wonderrodent]

Oh Kendra, that is so precious!!

I have a boggling video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFSUtaeE5Us

[Standingonthefringes]

Hehehe.. boggling looks so funny x)

Does anybody know why they boggle.. ? I've seen my rat Binx do it a couple times, initially I thought he was sick 

[wonderrodent]

When they boggle you can be sure they are very content and happy!! Bruxing can mean both - content and discontent but boggling is the sign of ultimate satisfaction

[lycanandselenesmom]

Here are some bruxing videos (with boggling included!):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1748212380883823428&q=brux&hl=en

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVApP80LJUc

the one from youtube looked like the rat had something wrong with his eye.  Was the grinding of the teeth what we were looking at? So rry don't know the fancy names.

[scout]

There's a muscle that runs behind the rat's eyes that pushes the eyes forward when they brux really hard. That makes it look like their eyes are coming out of their heads.

[weeze]

When they boggle you can be sure they are very content and happy!! Bruxing can mean both - content and discontent but boggling is the sign of ultimate satisfaction

Then there are the few that go past the brux into the boggle and end chirping like a bird.  That's a happy rat ! 

[artemish]

I'm pretty sure it's not bruxing, but I can't quite figure out what it is that one of my boys has been doing. He grinds his teeth for a few seconds, then stops. Then a little while later, he'll do it again. Often, he'll do it after waking up, between yawns. He's kind of new, so he's not really comfortable with me, but he's friend with the other rat, and I can't imagine him being in pain without any other signs.

His teeth look fine to me, too. Still, it's a bit worrying as I'm not sure why he does it.

[Svenna]

Cashew lives to eat treats and brux on my shoulder. Sadly, I will never know if she boggles because she is always on my shoulder.

[wonderrodent]

Svenna, next time get a mirror. 

[Zephr]

Nymph bruxes like crazy when I'm playing with her.  She'll run up and get in my face and brux loudly, then run off as fast as she can, still grinding her teeth like mad.  I've yet to see the boggling, but it's most likely happening and she just won't stop moving long enough to see it.

[angelratgirl]

http://tails.angelratdesigns.com/media/sound.html

click on celia's sound bit (second one down) and you will get an up close and personal recording of bruxing. those who know what to listen for can hear when she is boggling.

[lilspaz68]

I'm pretty sure it's not bruxing, but I can't quite figure out what it is that one of my boys has been doing. He grinds his teeth for a few seconds, then stops. Then a little while later, he'll do it again. Often, he'll do it after waking up, between yawns. He's kind of new, so he's not really comfortable with me, but he's friend with the other rat, and I can't imagine him being in pain without any other signs.

His teeth look fine to me, too. Still, it's a bit worrying as I'm not sure why he does it.

Sounds like your boy is doing a bit of bruxing...but he's doing it more like sleepy teeth grinding.  Especially if he is in his cage where he is comfortable.  Don't worry its normal.

[JR1030]

http://tails.angelratdesigns.com/media/sound.html

click on celia's sound bit (second one down) and you will get an up close and personal recording of bruxing. those who know what to listen for can hear when she is boggling.

You can hear boggling? 

[angelratgirl]

yup. they make a quick chuffing sound while boggling during bruxing, sometimes. some rats do it louder than others, and besides bruxing loud, celia would boggle loud too.

[Attyray]

Time to ruin the thread with science!

Boggling is done because since a rat jaw needs so much muscle, some of it even strings around behind the eye, making the eyes bulge while the muscle is contracting.

 


Everyone is right, bruxing is normal 99% of the time...

but... how do you hear boggling?  Please do tell.

[angelratgirl]

ok, listen to my recording of celia. she sneezes once during the whole thing. directly after she sneezes is the sound her muscles/mouth/face makes while she is boggling. not all rats make noise while boggling, not all rats boggle after a brux. but celia did. and i am betting alot of those of us who have had a rat brux and boggle constantly at their ear can tell you exactly when they are boggling just by the sound. and celia LOOOVED to brux and boggle when she snuggled on my shoulder.

so, my lady celia does a brux, boggle, brux (movement), boggle, brux, sneeze, boggle...