What does this mean?

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NocturnalRapport

Sometimes when I stoke my boys down their backs they rumble and stretch their bodies right out, sometimes arching their backs inwards and stretching their back legs right behind them. Sometimes they completely flatten themselves on the floor, sometimes twist themselves and scratch my hand with their back legs.

I thought they hated it at first buy they make no attempt to run away or anything.

Are they acting like this because they hate it or do they enjoy it?
 
i am no expert and i am sure someone will correct me but i read that posturing as submissive and like they are trying to make you stop

my boy does it - not the girls

but he love a tickle behind the ears

even leans into that

what do you think Bonnie - i am sure you know this one
 
rumbling and arching backs would say to me that he doesnt like it,i may be wrong because piggies are strange characters but rubmbling is rarely good.
i hope vickyt posts soon as she is great with this sort of stuff xxxxxx
 
is she online ? give her a poke with a big stick?

come on Vicky we need yoooooooooooooooooo
 
well we cannot all be on here all the time i suppose?

must be nice to have a life
 
My girlies do that when I tickle their backs. My vet agrees with me that they are happy and thinking of boy piggies. Don't know what boy piggies would think of, maybe girl piggies. They kinda roll slightly on their side and kick their legs a bit. The rumbling sound Charlotte makes to tell the others she is boss is a slightly different tone to the chuckle they make when I tickle them but it is similar.
 
is there a guinea pig dictionary?
i would love to know what they are saying
 
so what is rumbling exactly?

and weeking

and what else is there

i get a cooing some times - or is that rumbling

then there is teeth chattering

did i miss any

errrrm - new thread - call it What guinea pigs say?
 
Hi! Sorry, we've got guests this week!

If it is a short, low rumble, a bit like a grunting, that's a very clear "No! I don't like that!" sign.

The longer, slightly higher rumble is for dominance/wooing. Generally, they do it when they don't like something about the situation or try to assert themselves. But I haven't really heard it in connection with cuddling, only the first variety!

Sometimes, it depends on the circumstances on which we have to interpret...
 
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and weeking
its a high pitch squeal(not sure how else to describe it)it means happy

i get a cooing some times - or is that rumbling
the cooing may be purring with can sound a little cat like and means they are happy
then there is teeth chattering
teeth chattering is very easy to recognise usually its aimed at another pig,if it ever happens keep a good eye on them

Rumbling is a sign of dominance displayed mostly between male piggies and can be the start of a potential fight although that being said i have to piggies that rumble and chatter at each other but are fine providing they dont get in eachothers space.

rumblestrutting is most commonly a males showing off to a female

i have never seen it so someone maybe able to tell you the movements they make x

Popcorningthey look like they are having a jumping fit or like they are twitching and jumping,they usually will wheek while doing this,most piggies will do it over small things like a bowl of veges,a clean cage or a friend
 
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i get 2 different weeks

one is clear and obvious and to me means - get a moove on, over here, me me me me

then there is a distant more muffled one

almost like they ate talking to themselves
 
Bullseye said:
i get 2 different weeks

one is clear and obvious and to me means - get a moove on, over here, me me me me

then there is a distant more muffled one

almost like they ate talking to themselves
Click to expand...

the 3rd one sounds like guinea pig chit chat i forgot to mention that one its usually a little quieter than wheeking and it sounds so cute
 
I have two girls, Abby will make this 'rumble' type noise when i pet her back it almost makes her whole body shake. Molly has only done it a few times, but i'm sure i remember when listening to the 'sounds' online that it was a 'good & happy' sound. I may have to go check that out again....i dont want to make her mad at me! lol She also makes a loud squeal when i touch to far down her backside....so i think That is the bad sound.
 
If it is more like purring, I think some piggies do it when they are happy. Mine have all chirped rather than purred so far.
 
When I pat my Montgomery, i get a combination of rumbling and bottom wiggling, often followed by a series of popcorns. He definetley loves being petted. Teeth chattering is more a sign of aggression.
 
Sorry to muddy the waters - but teeth chattering has at least two meanings and one of them is 'I want'. Then I have to work out what. The teeth chattering from agression is a LOT louder.

The little chit chat noise is an 'I'm here' noise and mine do it when they're trucking round the floor or after a cuddle walking away from me.

Guinea pigs can learn noises from each other, they haven't all had the same language when they've joined my group. This leads to more than one meaning for a noise between them even, it gets quite complicated sometimes.

One of mine learnt that if she rumbles in an unhappy way she gets extra cuddles....guess what she does now when I cuddle her (for as long as she can keep it up)! She eventually can't help the happy noises getting through so then I get a mixture of noises - but any onlooker would think I was being really horrid to her!

Anyway, I always found looking at the ears was a giveaway. There are 'ears up and flapping' happy, 'limp and close to the head' sad or ill, 'perked at the top but drooping' questioning, 'medium and fairly limp' normal. If your piggie reacts with their ears, then watch for it. If they don't like what you're doing then the body language can show it but the ears signal.

I think I spend too much time watching my piggies!
 
Mine do quiet teeth chattering during laptime when they need a wee / poo. It's not loud or agressive just quiet chattering and I put them back and they always wee or poo so that is just the only way they can tell me!
 
thats a really handy one for you

i was talking to my piggies last night and

Sophie, the young sow was weeking when i went to pick her up and sat still in the palm of my hand trembling
and weeking softly

that seems to me to be mixed signals of fear and happyness

Bridge - what a boy - weeked the place down and popcorned all over when he saw me even came for a sniff but would he let me pick him up? Not for anything
he climbed up my arm when i offered it but it was a bid for freedom

i really dont know what to do with him
 
You could try to be 'overpig'. Pick him up, wrap Bridge in something - like swaddling a baby - and place him firmly right under your chin, talking in a soft but firm voice all the time. You are in charge, that means, let him know that in a cuddle you are boss because it sounds as though he thinks he is. Let him hear your breathing and voice for a while until he calms down a bit, this may take a bit of time, and then hold him lower down and clean his ears. This is a total mummy thing, you are the 'overpig'.

Once your dominance is established, then move to stroking, playing, singing to him, basically have a fun time with him.

Piggies enjoy being held fairly firmly and when swaddled, they feel safe and secure.

Alternatively, you could accept being 'underpig'. When he comes out for a cuddle give him the options and follow his lead. Give him space to move around, climb over you, basically do what he wants. He will be difficult to pick up the more you do it this way, piggies really don't like being picked up at all so they are more comfortable with that if they see you as 'overpig'.

Whatever you do, reinforce it all the time! A piggie can learn something if it's emotional or repetitous. After that they have a memory span of about ten minutes - ish! One of my piggies is stunningly dim, bless her, but she has learnt that I am overpig and asks for cuddles then stands still to be picked up. This took nearly two years!

Have fun!
 
I've done it both ways - with my uber-dominant sow Minx I was underpig, but discovered the world from a piggy's perspective and had lots of fun that way(and a few stand-offs); with my others, I've been overpig, which has made them cuddlier, but less adventurous.
 
i think Bridge could be "A Bridge Too Far"

sorry - in film buff mode

he is a real challenge but thats why i love him

i love the others but not like him
 
My favourite noise they make is the "pluck, pluck" noise they make when exploring something or if you've put something unfamiliar in their cage. They sneak towards it, making their bodies all long and low, and give it a nibble and a sniff.
 
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