Behavior: teeth chattering at me

[werevamper]

I have pigs that teeth chatter at me all the time. They stopped doing it when I rescued another pig but after about a month, they're at it again. Any time I walk into the room (it's my room by the way), they'll run away and start teeth chatting. They're fine when I'm cleaning their cage but any other time I go near them, there they go.

Is there a way to stop it or is it still an adolesence thing even though two of them are over a year?

They're fine once they're in my lap and on the couch but one of them squeals whenever I reach my hand in wherever he's hiding and touch him. I did take him to the vet and treated him for mites just in case but he still flinches a lot and squeals.

Will it ever go away?

[Paula]

It might not ever go away. I have pigs over two years old that still feel they need to chatter their teeth at me when I go to pick them up or do anything that makes them think I'm going to pick them up. At some point they might learn that their teeth chattering doesn't do anything and stop. Or they might not. As long as they aren't actually biting you or snapping at you I wouldn't worry a whole lot.

You have to keep in mind that since pigs are prey animals the whole idea of getting picked up or thinking that you might reach in to grab them is kind of a big deal for them, even if they're otherwise fine with being held and handled. They're just creatures of habit and probably do it without really meaning to "warn" you of anything.