Beaver Teeth

[tyger]

There was a lot of interest in the Skull Sets for the Library post. Most of us appreciate the animal parts that are used to make sporrans and sgians, among other things.

One might be interested in the fantastic teeth that beavers have:

Beaver hemi-mandible showing tooth and neurovascular foramina:


Tooth removed:

[KiltedDixon]

Looks more like a chisel than a tooth.

Thanks for the pics and the descriptions.

[azwildcat96]

Nice Beaver!

Couldn't resist the Naked Gun reference...Sorry.

[Tartan Tess]

Which is normally longer, the top or bottom "incisor"?

[Chas]

That is an immense tooth and harder than antler, I would imagine. What would you use it for? Will it carve or does it have to be ground away?

Regards

Chas

[sydnie7]

That is an immense tooth and harder than antler, I would imagine. What would you use it for? Will it carve or does it have to be ground away?

Regards

Chas

From what I know, beavers keep them in check by chomping on wood, right? Aren't they like [some] other rodents, and the teeth just keep growing out?

[Pleater]

Yes - the teeth grow continuously, also the outer part of the curve is harder than the inner, so the back of the working tip is worn away faster to create that efficient chisel shape.

Left to themselves, beavers alter the landscape to create their own ideal living conditions and also creating a better, more fertile environment for many other species of animals and also some types of plant. An area with beavers tends to have reduced erosion and retains more water than one without, so areas downstream are less prone to flooding after storms or thaws.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[xman]

Their fur is exceptionally soft and warm even among other water mammals. My country was built on the beaver fur trade as much as anything else. They're strong too. They haul those timbers away themselves.

How long are those teeth? Could you scrimshaw them?

Does wearing a beaver sporran carry any ... connotations?

[Whidbey78]

Left to themselves, beavers alter the landscape to create their own ideal living conditions and also creating a better, more fertile environment for many other species of animals and also some types of plant. An area with beavers tends to have reduced erosion and retains more water than one without, so areas downstream are less prone to flooding after storms or thaws.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Very true! Man is the only critter that makes a bigger impact on his environment than the beaver. We're actually a lot alike, but thanks to a bigger brain and opposable thumbs we have all sorts of neat things they don't...like digital watches and hockey.

[tulloch]

THAT is amazing. I can't believe I have lived in North America for 55 years and have never seen how the beaver's teeth are. Thanks.