vibrating guinea pig?

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Iv just been holding one of my guinea pigs (had them for about a month now) and as i was stroking/holding him i could feel his body vibrating on and off.He wasnt teeth chattering.I hold him every day and he has never done this before.
What does this mean? x
 
Doesn't like what your doing (ie if you stroke there hair in the wrong direction they BRRR... Followed by a little shake. Loud noise can do it too. Although my pigs will rumble if they can smell another pig on me, when this happens it's usually dominance.
 
Hi Amy,
my pigs vibrate when I'm shampooing them, which they really aren't keen on. Teeth chattering is also a sign that they're unhappy. If they do it while you're holding or stroking them I suggest that you just let them sit on your lap without touching them for a bit
 
Sometimes nervous pigs will do this. Once they are completely confident and happy they gradually stop doing this.
 
Iv just been holding one of my guinea pigs (had them for about a month now) and as i was stroking/holding him i could feel his body vibrating on and off.He wasnt teeth chattering.I hold him every day and he has never done this before.
What does this mean? x

Was it like a cat purring? It can mean three things, which makes it v confusing. A low purr can mean contment when they are being petted, but it can also mean (for males) aggression if they are among other cavvies and also that they want to mate with a female. A louder purring in the presence of other males could mean they are about to fight.

So, they are either really happy or agressive. You've just got to judge it by the situation. One of mine purrs when I stroke her as a sign she likes it. But at other times they make the same noise when they don't want to be held.

Try sitting with him on your lap. If you hold them standing up they tend to stay quite still as they know they are high in the air. If you sit with him or stroke him in the cage you should be able to tell if he likes it. If he head butts your hand or turns to nip you, you know he doesn't like it but if he purrs when you stroke him then (and soesn't try to get away) you know he likes it.

Would be so much easier if they had one sound/behaviour per emotion!
 
There is also a high frequency almost 'buzzing' feeling which can not be heard, but rather felt through its feet. This is an expression of nerviousness and fear. All of my Guineas done this when they were new, as they were nervious about being held. It doesn't happen much anymore though and they will get used to you.

My girls make 4 types of rumbles/purrs

1. Buzzing - which is the fear thing, almost like very fast shaking, quivering.
2. Alarm Rumble - Where they hear a noise they don't like and one will give off an alarm call, which causes them all to freeze then run off.
3. Rumble Strutting - Almost like a dance, where one wiggles it's bum, moving from one foot to another. My Dominant female does this to keep the others in check and to assert herself. Like a display.
4. Purring - When scratching two of mine on the shoulders/back. It is indistinguisable from the Rumble Strutting sound above, but is constant rather than a short rumble like the alarm call.

-Carma
 
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