Sounds Teeth Chattering. What is he trying to say?

[Ena_MM]

I can understand most noises my guinea pig makes except for the teeth chattering. I just don't get it. It's mostly soft chattering and I'm confused. Anyone got any ideas what he might be trying to say?

 

[Peggysu]

It's usually a noise in which they are uncomortable and warning you to back off. It can also be an indicator of pain.

 

[Ena_MM]

darn....why would he tell me to back off....

 

[Peggysu]

It could really be anything. It might be the way you approach him, to how he's being held etc.

 

[Ena_MM]

I see. Thanks!

 

[3littlewheekers]

My oldest female did that for almost two weeks when we first brought her home (she has been through hell) whenever I went to pick her up. I just gave her space, talked to her very softly, hand fed veggies while she was still in the cage. Then we made a larger cage (the old one still met the required sq ft) and now she hasn't done it once. Sometimes they just need go adjust. Who really knows what the pigs go through before we rescue them?? How long have you had you pig(s)?

 

[HannibalLecter]

One of my ladies does that when she's expecting or searching for food. Almost imitating the clicking noise I make when feeding them. Other sitautions are as described above, when her cage mate is too close during lap time, when she's scared or tiered of me kissing her.

 

[Ena_MM]

I've had him for almost a year now. He did the teeth chattering for the first little while so I was trying to map out the meanings with the situations we were in. After that it's once a month at the most. So now I give up and find it would be easier to just ask online. Although on wikipedia it says that the soft chattering might be because that they see food from a distance but they can't reach it. Is that possible?