Teeth Chattering

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elliiiiiex

Junior Guinea Pig
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When i put my hand in the cage my 1 pig often starts loudly chattering his teeth, i thought this was a sign of aggression? am i wrong? or can it mean other things?
 
usually means angry or upset when directed at you. with other piggies it means the same, aswell as aggression.

i think he doesn't want to be touched. is he new so could be scared when you approach him?
 
Wiebke said:
You may find these guides here helpful in settling in your guinea pig (is he a single or do you have a couple? Singles especially often feel very on edge as they rely on the company of others of their kind):
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up Your Guinea Pig
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They are a pair but the one is quite confident whereas Casper is very shy, he was ok once i started feeding him green beans but when i first touched him he was teeth chattering, can teeth chattering also mean fear? because that would make sense

Thanks
 
biscandmatt said:
usually means angry or upset when directed at you. with other piggies it means the same, aswell as aggression.

i think he doesn't want to be touched. is he new so could be scared when you approach him?
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Yes he is new i have two, the one is quite confident whereas he is shy and jumpy? i'm hoping that he is just scared of me at the moment rather than feeling aggressive towards me... he was fine once i started giving him food and didn't run off when i tried to pick him up, i was just concerned as to why he would teeth chatter
 
elliiiiiex said:
Yes he is new i have two, the one is quite confident whereas he is shy and jumpy? i'm hoping that he is just scared of me at the moment rather than feeling aggressive towards me... he was fine once i started giving him food and didn't run off when i tried to pick him up, i was just concerned as to why he would teeth chatter
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Sometimes they are a little grumpy. Vimto will teeth chatter at me when I go to pick her up. Don't worry, it is just their way of saying they don't like something.
 
elliiiiiex said:
They are a pair but the one is quite confident whereas Casper is very shy, he was ok once i started feeding him green beans but when i first touched him he was teeth chattering, can teeth chattering also mean fear? because that would make sense

Thanks
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Teeth chattering means strong dislike. Casper may have had bad experiences with being handled. Please have a look at the links I have given you, as they contain lots of tips on how you can make friends with Casper over time and how you can get him out of the cage without needing to chase him down and cause him unnecessary stress.
 
elliiiiiex said:
Yes he is new i have two, the one is quite confident whereas he is shy and jumpy? i'm hoping that he is just scared of me at the moment rather than feeling aggressive towards me... he was fine once i started giving him food and didn't run off when i tried to pick him up, i was just concerned as to why he would teeth chatter
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hopefully he will settle with time. although my two will occasionally chatter at me - usually if i'm not getting some type of food they require fast enough :))
 
Wiebke said:
Teeth chattering means strong dislike. Casper may have had bad experiences with being handled. Please have a look at the links I have given you, as they contain lots of tips on how you can make friends with Casper over time and how you can get him out of the cage without needing to chase him down and cause him unnecessary stress.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for your help i will have a read now! :)
 
sport_billy said:
Sometimes they are a little grumpy. Vimto will teeth chatter at me when I go to pick her up. Don't worry, it is just their way of saying they don't like something.
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ah thank-you! i was worried it was more of a aggressive sign... rather than just a dislike makes more sense... thanks
 
sport_billy said:
Sometimes they are a little grumpy. Vimto will teeth chatter at me when I go to pick her up. Don't worry, it is just their way of saying they don't like something.
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Yes I agree with Lee.
My boy Jasper no matter when, how or who (me included and he loves me the best :lol!: ) will teeth chatter when you go to pick him up.

He is a grumpy boy and is telling us to go away. However once you have picked him up for either cuddles or floor time he is as happy as can be. There is just no pleasing some piggies :) He has done this from day one and still does it and we have had him for around 18 months now. I guess like humans some are just grumpier than others :))
 
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