Rats

Question
Hi
    I have read somewhere that when rats grind their teeth it means they are happy. My two rats (pink eyed dumbo rat and grey husky rat) grind their teeth a lot but i've notice that sometimes when they grind their teeth it almost looks like they are popping their eyes out. The lids go thurther apart and the eyes seem to come out a bit. Both have done this before and is it anything serious or just a habit?

Answer
Ahhh, welcome to the wonderful world of eye boggling! :) Rats, when content, can grind their teeth as a display of happiness and contentment. This is commonly referred to as bruxing. If you have an eye boggler consider yourself lucky. You're rats really like you! While bruxing is usually a sign of contentment, rats can also grind their teeth when in pain. If your rat is doing this excessively it may be a sign that something is wrong, and a trip to the vet may be in order. However, if your rats do this when you have them out during playtime, when they are socializing or playing with one another, just consider yourself a keeper of happy rats. :)