Rosanne Nesbitt, age 12, of Rochester, New York, for her question:

Why do guinea pigs grind their teeth?
A chubby little guinea pig is one of the dearest of all pets. He is a very gentle character, not given to temper tantrums. As a matter of fact, he does little to pro¬test, even when things go wrong for him. At such times, his only complaint may be a very soft mumbling growl and perhaps he also grinds his teeth. But usually a guinea pig that grinds his teeth is just trying to talk to you in his very own language. He may be telling you how happy he is to be with you and not complaining at all.
Of course, you should do your very best to keep him content. He needs a varied diet with lots of C, A and B vitamins and extra vitamin E. Rabbit pellets, carrots and celery are good for him. He also needs to be handled gently. When you pick him up, slip your forearm under his furry body, bend your elbow and let him sit comfortably close to your heart.