Baby GP sounds.

[piggl]

I could do with a second opinion on these sounds.

I have a 9 week old baby, we’ve had him for two weeks, and he is very loud but skittish, unsurprisingly.
When he comes out for a cuddle (or to give his old counterpart his medicine, as he will squeal down the house when separated from him), he speaks constantly. My concern with it is that it sounds distressed, he is a lot more vocal than any of the other babies i’ve had so just want to double check.

He has been out twice a day this past week, as I apply medication to my older boy, and I can’t leave him alone or he gets really upset. So I can imagine it is probably a lot for him.

The first video is him on a blanket with no covering, he sounds like he’s speaking but is somewhat distressed or nervous. (Ignore the teeth chattering, that is his older friend after I accidentally poked him bum)
In the second video he is covered up, but his ‘talking’ still sounds sort of “worried”.
I am wondering if maybe it’s just because he is young, as it is quite high pitched (do guinea pigs have a age related voice change?), or if he is still upset.

Is there anything else I can do to help him settle down in a different environment, aside from the normal stuff.
I understand some pigs just don’t want to be picked up but I can’t help but to want to have a cuddle every now and again, and it mostly comes with some veg and a ulterior motive (brushing, health check, medication), although I do not think it’s wrong to want to just have a cuddle sometimes.

GP
GP2

 

[Piggies&buns]

Their sounds very much require their body language to determine more clearly what they mean. If he is frozen still and making these little squeaks you’d lean more towards fear. If he is moving about and appears happy then it is more likely to just be general chatter and looking for reassurance from your other piggy.
Its easier to tell if you can see them though.

Some piggies are just more vocal than others.
In my case, Wilbur, Dexter and Popcorn don’t really need to say much as Hugo has more than enough to say for everyone!
Dex will get set off by Hugo at meals times mostly. Wilbur prefers rumbling to speaking. Popcorn hardly ever says anything.

 

[Wiebke]

I could do with a second opinion on these sounds.

I have a 9 week old baby, we’ve had him for two weeks, and he is very loud but skittish, unsurprisingly.
When he comes out for a cuddle (or to give his old counterpart his medicine, as he will squeal down the house when separated from him), he speaks constantly. My concern with it is that it sounds distressed, he is a lot more vocal than any of the other babies i’ve had so just want to double check.

He has been out twice a day this past week, as I apply medication to my older boy, and I can’t leave him alone or he gets really upset. So I can imagine it is probably a lot for him.

The first video is him on a blanket with no covering, he sounds like he’s speaking but is somewhat distressed or nervous. (Ignore the teeth chattering, that is his older friend after I accidentally poked him bum)
In the second video he is covered up, but his ‘talking’ still sounds sort of “worried”.
I am wondering if maybe it’s just because he is young, as it is quite high pitched (do guinea pigs have a age related voice change?), or if he is still upset.

Is there anything else I can do to help him settle down in a different environment, aside from the normal stuff.
I understand some pigs just don’t want to be picked up but I can’t help but to want to have a cuddle every now and again, and it mostly comes with some veg and a ulterior motive (brushing, health check, medication), although I do not think it’s wrong to want to just have a cuddle sometimes.

GP
GP2

Hi

You always need to take any body language and situational context into consideration for a correct interpretation. Just interpreting sounds is only one third of the message, not the whole message.

Take your little boy out together with his companion whether that is cuddling or grooming, so he can learn to take his cues from his elder and have the reassurance of safety. Babies are wired to learn from their group elders and tend to attach themselves to one of them (including boars hanging around) as their specific guardian/teacher to observe and practice by mimicking. Babies also have a special 'I am lost and in trouble' call. Learning from copying his guardian is the fastest way of settling him down.

Invent a little sing song with a different pitch/melody for everything you are doing with him so he can learn to anticipate what you are about to do and it is not all just random violence. Keep in mind that guinea pigs are reacting to the pitch and the emotion in voice but not to the human meaning of your words although they can distinguish between different sounds and learn their own and their mates' human names as their personal call.
When talking to him yourself, try to minic the pitch of calm piggy chatter to project an aura of normality. The more you can work with his social instincts instead of against them, the better.

What you cannot change because that is a personality trait, is how chatty and loud a baby is - like human children, you get the whole spectrum. Some need to rush to mummy or their teacher all the time for reassurance as well.

 

[Wiebke]

Also use piggy whispering methods to reassure him that he is OK by using guinea pig social body language gestures.

The more you communicate in his own language and social concepts which he instantly understands, the better. The more you insist on him learning your ways the hard way, the longer it will take. It does make a difference.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

Please keep in mind that separation from their group and human handling is always a high stress situation. Like with different humans, some thrive more on that kind of challenge while some really struggle - the silent, compliant kind you need to worry most because they will be ruled by their prey animal instincts. Any baby that talks, it is not overtaken by them. Give me apprehensive anytime over a breathing 'cuddly toy' baby!

 

[piggl]

Their sounds very much require their body language to determine more clearly what they mean. If he is frozen still and making these little squeaks you’d lean more towards fear. If he is moving about and appears happy then it is more likely to just be general chatter and looking for reassurance from your other piggy.
Its easier to tell if you can see them though.

Some piggies are just more vocal than others.
In my case, Wilbur, Dexter and Popcorn don’t really need to say much as Hugo has more than enough to say for everyone!
Dex will get set off by Hugo at meals times mostly. Wilbur prefers rumbling to speaking. Popcorn hardly ever says anything

I understand, I think it’s a mix of happy and fear so I will definitely continue to work with him on terms that work for both of us.

My older boy used to wheek at nugget time but now doesn’t feel the need to as little Reggie makes enough noise for both of them.

 

[Wiebke]

I understand, I think it’s a mix of happy and fear so I will definitely continue to work with him on terms that work for both of us.

My older boy used to wheek at nugget time but now doesn’t feel the need to as little Reggie makes enough noise for both of them.

You always have only one choir leader for the big food wheek; the others will usually just chime in or not wheek at all, depending on their temperament in my own experience. The movable job usually goes to the newest or youngest piggy 9they are generally the most vocal around 4 months of age so more ruckus is still to come for you), or sometimes to an elder whose food absorption is no longer optimal and who very much relies on eating as much as they can in order to compensate for their failing body.

My current food wheek is generally split between frail older and by no totally blind Brathlys who wants her meals served on time (within about 10 minutes of the regular slot) and my two young boys who have at 6 months just reached the end of the most vocal stage and will from now on gradually calm down.

 

[piggl]

You always have only one choir leader for the big food wheek; the others will usually just chime in or not wheek at all, depending on their temperament in my own experience. The movable job usually goes to the newest or youngest piggy 9they are generally the most vocal around 4 months of age so more ruckus is still to come for you), or sometimes to an elder whose food absorption is no longer optimal and who very much relies on eating as much as they can in order to compensate for their failing body.

My current food wheek is generally split between frail older and by no totally blind Brathlys who wants her meals served on time (within about 10 minutes of the regular slot) and my two young boys who have at 6 months just reached the end of the most vocal stage and will from now on gradually calm down.

Thank you for all the advice, I have definitely found the older they get the more sassier they are.

I used to sing/hum at certain times to my last pair but kind of stopped when they got used to our routine. I’ll definitely implement it again.
I would definitely rather have a piggie who needs some more time and understanding put into them than a statue, if anything working with them is my favourite part.