Could my piggy be deaf?

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

This may seem like an odd question but could my guinea pig be deaf? I got Enid from a shelter about 4 months ago and she came to me with chronic respiratory disease and a URI.

Despite being a happy piggy she's never made a noise; no chatting, no wheeking, etc, and she doesn't react to noise. I've accidentally snuck up on her and given her a fright a couple of times.

It only really occurred to me a couple of weeks ago. My dad was drilling in my house and my other girls all ran and hid. Enid wasn't bothered in the slightest and took the opportunity to clear the grass I'd just sprinkled in the hay trays.

I've seen a couple of Saskia's video where she mentioned that her chronic URI piggies tend to have calcification in their ears so I'm wondering if this could cause deafness? I've mentioned it to the vet who just sort of shrugged.

I suppose it doesn't change how I treat my little girl, I'm just curious. I've taken to wiggling my fingers next to her to announce myself now.

This is Enid.

 

[My Piggies]

I can't tell you why she might be deaf, but you can try clapping behind her, near her ears, so she can't see you. If her ears don't react to the sound, she is probably deaf (if her ears flop up and down, she most likely isn't). My Violet is stone-cold deaf, as we realised a couple months ago, but it doesn't seem to cause her any pain or discomfort

Violet actually looks kinda similar, colour wise, to Enid

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

I can't tell you why she might be deaf, but you can try clapping behind her, near her ears, so she can't see you. If her ears don't react to the sound, she is probably deaf (if her ears flop up and down, she most likely isn't). My Violet is stone-cold deaf, as we realised a couple months ago, but it doesn't seem to cause her any pain or discomfort

Violet actually looks kinda similar, colour wise, to Enid
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It's hard to intentionally sneak up on her cause she always facing the front of the cage. You never know when someone might be coming with pea flakes!

My other girls all know the sound of the fridge or crinkling cellophane. They even know what "teatime" means but Enid just doesn't respond to any sounds.

 

[My Piggies]

It's hard to intentionally sneak up on her cause she always facing the front of the cage. You never know when someone might be coming with pea flakes!

My other girls all know the sound of the fridge or crinkling cellophane. They even know what "teatime" means but Enid just doesn't respond to any sounds.

It sounds to me like she's deaf, but I'm sure she doesn't know that . Guinea pigs can be perfectly happy deaf, so no need to worry unless it is causing her pain or discomfort

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

It sounds to me like she's deaf, but I'm sure she doesn't know that . Guinea pigs can be perfectly happy deaf, so no need to worry unless it is causing her pain or discomfort

She's completely non-vocal too so, yes, I suspect she is. I've just been to see her and she was in the hay loft facing away from me. I tried clicking my fingers behind her and...nothing. Not even an ear twitch. The other three told me off for disturbing them though!

 

[My Piggies]

She's completely non-vocal too so, yes, I suspect she is. I've just been to see her and she was in the hay loft facing away from me. I tried clicking my fingers behind her and...nothing. Not even an ear twitch. The other three told me off for disturbing them though!

Definitely deaf Violet doesn't move a muscle when the vacuum is on, while the others flee immediately

 

[MildredMaudeandEnid]

Definitely deaf Violet doesn't move a muscle when the vacuum is on, while the others flee immediately

Same. The only thing that has scared Enid is thunder but I'd imagine that's more to do with air pressure and vibrations rather than the sound.

 

[Tigermoth]

Oh bless her. Sounds likely. Timmy has become increasingly deaf and I make him jump every day now as he has no idea what is going on. When he hasn’t just had an owner induced heart attack you wouldn’t really know from his behaviour with Jenny. It’s not helped by him being pretty blind now too due to his cataracts. It’s sad when he is up at the wrong side of the cage, begging for treats against the wall and then he jumps when I accidentally brush his nose with a piece of coriander.