[Gpdd] HEALTH - 'purring' piggies and chattering teeth!

[Nicola Atkins]

Right, at the risk of beginning to sound like a total know-it-all (The 
Guinea Pig Lopaedia is FANTASTIC and has taught me so much, all of which I 
want to pass on to you!), I want to try and help again!

To the person who's female piggie is 'burrrrrrr'-ing and arching it's back 
etc., I have the feeling that she may be 'in season'. Girl piggies come in 
to season every sixteenth day, apparently (and this is one of the easiest 
ways to tell if the sow is pregnant - if by the sixteenth day she is not 'in 
season' then she is 'with pig'!). Does she share a cage with other sows? If 
so, has she been trying to mount them? This is another common sign of being 
in season. The things to look out for, symptomatically, are bluey-red and 
swollen genitals, and a slimy discharge from the vagina. If she is sharing 
with un-neutered males, then don't be surprised if you have some bay piggies 
very soon! If she's not in season, then I guess it just may be her way of 
showing pleasure. I have had a lot of 'purring' piggies, male and female, 
over the years, and I think it's an adorable way of them showing us slaves 
affection!

And to Alge (thanks for the mail! Glad you liked the post), who's piggie is 
'chattering' or chewing, when you get him/her out - it is true that in the 
males teeth-chattering is a sign of anger, or that the piggie senses danger, 
but don't be worried by it - my Harvey chews and chatters practically every 
time I get him out! I don't know if there is some kind of scientific reason 
behind it, but I'm pretty sure it's normal and nothing to worry about - 
Harvey has done it since day one and I have the suspicion it may actually be 
down to boredom! When I cuddle my head close to his warm little chubby body, 
all I can hear is 'grind, grind grind', from him chewing and rattling his 
teeth!!

Hope this helps! I just wanted to say again that I'm so glad to have found 
this friendly little community, and relieved that I'm not the only one in 
the world totally obsessed with my piggie!! You're all fab!

Wheeeeks and 'brrrrrrrrrrs' from Harvey, happy smiles from his Mama!

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