Guinea Pig Body Language

Guinea pigs have many ways of telling you and other guinea pigs what they're feeling, and body language is one of them. Learning what these things mean will help you look after them successfully!

1. Popcorning - Easy to recognize, popcorning consists of hopping straight up in the air, sometimes repeatedly, just like popcorn does while it is popping. It is most often seen in young guinea pigs who are especially happy, excited or just feeling playful. Older pigs also popcorn, though they usually don't jump as high as younger pigs.
2. Freezing - A guinea pig that is startled or uncertain about something in its environment will stand motionless.
3. Sniffing - Sniffing is a way to check out what is going on around them and to get to know others. Guinea pigs particularly like to sniff each other around the nose, chin, ears, and back end.
4. Touching Noses - This is a friendly greeting between guinea pigs
5. Aggressive Actions - These can include raising their head and/or rising up on their hind ends with stiff legs, shuffling side to side on stiff legs, fluffing out their fur, and showing their teeth (yawning). These actions are often accompanied by hissing and/or teeth chattering. If your guinea pigs do this with each other, be on high alert for fighting.
6. Strutting - Moving side to side on stiff legs can be a sign of aggression, often accompanied by teeth chattering. Strutting around another guinea pig while rumbling is a typical mating dance and the origin of the term "rumble strutting."
7. Scent Marking - Guinea pigs will rub their chins, cheeks, and hind ends on items they wish to mark as theirs. They may also urinate on things or other guinea pigs to show their dominance.
8. Mounting - This can be either sexual behavior (males to females) or behavior used to show dominance within the guinea pig herd's social structure, especially between females.
9. Fidgeting While Being Held - This can often be a sign that your guinea pig needs to go to the bathroom or that your guinea pig is just tired of being held. Either way, try returning your guinea pig to his or her cage for a bit.
10. Tossing Head in the Air - A guinea pig getting annoyed with being petted will toss its head back as a way of asking you to stop.
11. Licking - Most owners consider this a sign of guinea pig affection, though it is possible that they just like the taste of the salt on your skin.
12. Running Away From Being Picked Up - Guinea pigs tend to be timid, especially at first. Running away from you is not a rejection but rather a natural defense mechanism. Given time and patience, almost all guinea pigs will come to accept being picked up for cuddles and playtime outside of the cage.