Pocket gophers are active, solitary, medium-sized rodents that spend most of their time burrowing. They are endemic to Central and North America. Their name is derived from their ability to store food in their fur-lined cheeks, known as pockets. They use these pockets to transport food to storage areas within their tunnels. Gophers are also known for their sensitive whiskers and tails, which are crucial for navigating their underground tunnels, especially since their poor eyesight and hearing are a disadvantage. Pocket gophers use both their strong foreclaws and teeth to dig tunnels. They use their long, powerful claws to excavate and loosen soil and their incisors to chew through tough roots and hard soil. Healthy teeth are crucial for their survival, as they are needed for digging burrows, gnawing on tough roots, and feeding. Continue reading to learn how gophers keep their teeth healthy and strong.
How Many Teeth Does the Gopher Have?
Gophers are medium-sized rodents that range from 5 to 14 inches long, and weigh up to 2 pounds.
©eumates/Shutterstock.com
Gophers have a total of 20 teeth, distributed among 4 incisors, 4 premolars, and 12 molars. Their teeth are uniquely adapted for their burrowing lifestyle; they protrude outside the mouth for digging, while the lips close behind the teeth to keep dirt out.
Incisors
Called open-rooted teeth, a gopher’s incisors grow continuously.
©Iv-olga/Shutterstock.com
Gophers have four incisors: two are on the top (upper jaw) and two are on the bottom (lower jaw), located in the front and center of their jaws. They are large, chisel-shaped teeth that protrude from the mouth. Their incisors are consistently growing and must be kept in check by gnawing to prevent them from getting too long and potentially piercing the gopher’s jaw, or making it unable to eat or burrow effectively. Gophers wear down their teeth by gnawing on tough vegetation like roots and plant stems.
Molars and Premolars
Gophers have very flattened molars and premolars, twelve molars and four premolars, located behind the large front incisors, filling the rest of the upper and lower jaw. These teeth are specialized for grinding food.
What Do Gophers Use Their Teeth For?
Asides from their claws, gophers also use their teeth to burrow.
©SERGEI BRIK/Shutterstock.com
Gophers use their teeth for a wide range of activities. They have big appetites and eat approximately 50 to 60% of their body weight daily, depending on the species. They also need to create a safe home where they can live in isolation, as these little creatures are not social.
Gophers are fossorial animals that burrow into the soil and live underground, and their teeth are critical to their burrowing. A gopher’s incisors are crucial for burrowing because they are used to break up and gnaw through tough soil, roots, and other obstacles that their claws cannot easily penetrate. Their incisors are constantly growing, which keeps them sharp for continuous digging and allows them to bite off chunks of earth and roots that are then pushed aside by their forelimbs.
Feeding
Besides burrowing, gophers use their teeth for feeding. Gophers are herbivores. They feed on the roots, tubers, and other fleshy parts of plants. Their teeth are well adapted for a plant-based diet because their incisors grow continuously, counteracting the significant wear and tear from gnawing on tough, fibrous plant material and soil. They nibble on herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees, grasses, and roots.
