Guinea pig rumbling at me?

[shylynn]

Hey everyone! So I have 3 piggies and i’ve noticed for a few weeks my dominant piggy (the orange one) has started to rumble at me when I open the cage. He is the most outgoing and allows pets if he feels like it and comes up to me regularly, but for some reason he’s been distant. I’ve seen where sometimes they’re uncomfortable if they have health issues but he only does it when I enter the area. I suppose you call it rumblestrutting but I don’t think he wants to mate with me does anyone have an inkling ?

 

[Siikibam]

Hmm not sure to be honest. Does he do it when you’re petting him?

Also, do you have three boars together, or a boar and two sows?

 

[PerceptorII]

Rumble-strutting is not just mating behavior. It's also dominance behavior, a way to assert who's in charge or just tell another to back off. I've had it directed at me, though I've always managed to smooth things over become their friend again. The fact that there's been a change in behavior worries me, though, and I'm inclined to suggest letting a knowledgeable vet take a look at him.