Guide to guinea pig noises?

Status
Not open for further replies.
mikulinek

mikulinek

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
976
Reaction score
1
Points
310
Location
Salford, Greater Manchester, UK
Hi everyone,

I was wondering if it might be helpful to post a sticky about guinea pig noises and what they mean. There are some sites out there (most notably jackie's guinea pigs) that are pretty helpful but they're not comprehensive.

What I mean is that, very often, a lot of owners find it difficult to distinguish between burrs, purrs and rumbles, between chutts and wheeks because the sounds need to be put in context. I was thinking it might be useful to have a guide to the sounds that also included what the guinea pig will most likely be doing physically, what the most likely circumstances and contexts are for the sound and what the sound means.

I am happy to work on it if people think it might be a good idea. I know I've answered a lot of queries and I'm sure you all have on the differences/how to distinguish between burrs and purrs and rumbles...
 
One of the problems is that interpreting a sound often needs the support of piggy body language, too, as pleasure and displeasure can sometimes sound very similar, but the situation makes things clear which it is. Just sound bites can never be comprehensive.
 
Brilliant idea. It's so hard to describe a lot of the sounds, the differences are often very subtle and easier to distinguish when you can see them as well as hear them.
 
That's exactly it. We could have a good, detailed description of what the piggy's body language is likely to be (or at least a rough guide) which would really help some people tell the difference. What you think?
 
Its a great idea, would also be useful differentiating those that occur between a pair and those that are seen and heard in a herd. We are seeing some differences from a female herd of 4 to a herd of 4 including a boar.
 
OK, I'm pretty busy today but if I post a draft on this thread over the weekend, can you comment and add/change things so we can come up with the best possible guide?
 
OK, here goes. Below is part of my first draft on this. Please feel free to comment, critique, add or disagree with anything on here, I won't take it personally :) The plan is to create a comprehensive guide to noises, their contexts and meanings...


It is widely accepted among many experts, from pet owners to vets to those who will remain nameless ;) that guinea pigs have 12 distinct calls. I believe there may be many more than this. While, to us at least, there are only a limited number of sounds that guinea pigs make, our hearing is nowhere near as sensitive as that of our guinea pigs. They are able to distinguish very similar sounds very easily. In addition, the sound alone is not the entire call. We must consider the context and the non-verbal communication as well. This is handy for us as many calls are very similar in sound but very different in meaning.

With this is mind, this guide is aimed at providing you with a description of the noise accompanied with the most common physical/non-verbal expressions as well as probable context and meaning. The names of the calls used are those which I have chosen from various sources but they too are not important. What is important is what the guinea pig is trying to say. We'll begin with a group of calls that are very similar in sound but that have widely contrasting meanings, the low rumbling sounds.

1. Purring.

This is a low, rumbling sound similar to a cat's purr. It is most likely prolongued or repeated.

Your guinea pig will most likely stretch out like a cat; lie flat with their chin on the ground; close their eyes; walk slowly around you if you're sitting down; popcorn or roll on to their side.

It is most likely that you are feeding them their favourite treat; petting them or stroking them; cuddling with them or generally giving them what they want.

This is a contented, happy sound.

2. Burring.

A slightly higher-pitched (but don't worry if it doesn't sound like that to you) rumbling sound. Usually very short and sharp.

Your guinea pig will probably run away and hide or stand stand still to complete attention. We call this, "doing a meerkat impression".

It is likely that your guinea pig heard an unknown or unsettling noise or that there was some rapid, unknown or unsettling motion nearby.

This is an expression of alarm, shock and fear.

3. Rumbling.

A low-pitched, prolongued and/or repeated rumbling sound.

This will most likely be accompanied by any or all of the following: walking slowly; neck hair standing on end; puffing up of the hair and body; snorting (usually into the face of a nother guinea pig).

This call is usually made toward another guinea pig, be they of the same or opposite sex and has several meanings. It can be an early sign of aggression, particularly if it is made toward a guinea pig of the same sex. Usually, it is a dominance display made to another guinea pig and may be accompanied by other noises/calls below.

This is an expression of dominance and, sometimes, of aggression.

4. Rumble strutting.

This is the same as above except that the rumbling is accompanied by a strut, also known as a war dance. The guinea pig in question will appear to sway from left to right as they change stances. If two boars are doing this simultaneously, you may see what I call circling. The two boars will walk around in a circle, noise to bum, and attempt to spray one another. They may make odd shapes as they try to keep themselves away from the other boar while attempting to aim their grease glands at the same time.

This is a dominance display as each guinea pig attempts to exert their dominance over the other. It can lead to serious aggression if followed by other actions/calls below.
 
i often get confused as i think it can sometimes be confusing to describe a sound
and especially when i was a newbie i k ow i was confused lol

i have a iphone and there is a app called guinepedia
you can dowload it free on iphone
and it has all the sounds and what they mean
really helped me out when i was a newbie
 
amberannielola said:
i often get confused as i think it can sometimes be confusing to describe a sound
and especially when i was a newbie i k ow i was confused lol

i have a iphone and there is a app called guinepedia
you can dowload it free on iphone
and it has all the sounds and what they mean
really helped me out when i was a newbie
Click to expand...

Thanks, the point was more that the sounds alone aren't very helpful. If you were to play the noise of a purr a burr and a rumble without the visuals and the context, a lot of people wouldn't know the difference. That's why I wanted this guide to provide more detail about the non-verbal communication and context that accompanies the sound. That way owners won't get confused between similar sounds that mean hugely different things.
 
The next section is again made up of very similar sounds that are difficult to distinguish without context. They are often very quiet and/or low sounds and are hard to pinpoint for a lot of people who are new to guinea pigs.

5. Chutting

This is usually fairly quiet although some guinea pigs can be quite loud. It's a medium-pitched, repetitive sound that, to many sounds like the guinea pig is talking to himself/herself.

This sounds is often made by a guinea pig during floor time as they wander about round their play area. It can also be made as they eat or root around in their cage/hutch or if they are investigating something new in their cage or floor space.

This sound is mostly associated with a mixture of contentment/feeling of security and curiosity. Your guinea pig is happily rooting around and investigating their surroundings.

6. Moaning/complaining

This is a very similar sound to chutting except that it has a distinct whining aspect attached to it. It is also sometimes a little louder and higher pitched than a chut.

Your guinea pig may be on your lap, quite still or quite still in their cage or outside. Your guinea pig's eyes are problably open quite widely. He/she may be curled up or even puffed up like a ball.

Your guinea pig is not happy about something. It may be something as minor as the need to pee. Some guinea pigs don't like to pee on their owners during lap time but they can't hold it forever, this could mean, "take me home, I need to pee". It could be that they are scared and/or uncomfortable during lap time and just want to be left alone. It could be a little more serious. If your guinea pig has had a falling out with his/her cage mate, he/she may be hurt or just upset. Either way, they are letting you know that they are not happy. If this sound is made when your guinea pig is puffed up in a ball, or is made for a particularly long time, it's probably an indicator that your guinea pig is sick. Being puffed up and moaning is a good sign that your guinea pig needs medical attention.

7. Murmuring

A similar sound to both of the above except that it usually significantly louder, more rapid and higher pitched.

You guinea pig may be puffering - their hair is on end, or posturing and/or snorting at another guinea pig. I have witnessed this between two boars and it can be quite deafening. It is often followed by chattering (see other section) and can follow or be followed by rumbling and/or rumble strutting.

This is an aggressive noise and is part of male dominance displays as well as being a general sign of the intent to exert dominance. It may develop into more aggressive behaviour.
 
This section looks at some of the higher pitched noises that guinea pigs make. Again, they can be quite similar in sound but mean very different things.


8. Wheeking

This is probably the most commonly recognised guinea pig call and the easiest to distinguish. It's a fairly high-pitched and often quite loud squeak than may be repeated and may crescendo as it goes on.

You guinea pig may come to the edge of their cage/hutch and perhaps even begin to climb the bars a little. If your guinea pig is out, they may approach you making this noise.

Your guinea pig wants something. You may just have come home and they want food. They might smell or hear something associated with food (chopping vegetables in the kitchen, coming home with grass). Their water bottle may be empty or they simply want some attention. Whatever it is, your guinea pig wants something and they want it from you :)

9. Shrieking

This is not to be confused with wheeking although the noise is very similar. It is usually much louder than wheeking and the pauses between shrieks are slightly longer.

Your guinea pig may be quite still or may run and hide. Your guinea pig may be outside having some floor/grass time or out in a new room in the house. They look frantic and their shrieking is made upwards, with their head tilted up.

Your guinea pig is really frightened. Something is really scaring your guinea pig and they need to be taken home or picked up or both. We have only witnessed this call once. We toook one of our boars outside for the first time and he heard a bird. He jumped in between my wife's legs and shrieked until she picked him up and took him inside.

10. Squeeling

This can also be called shrieking but I like to distinguish between the two. It is a very similar sound although your guinea pig will probably only make it once or twice.

Your guinea pig has fallen; been bitten; you are holding them too tightly or incorrectly; they have got themselves stuck or had an accident.

Your guinea pig is hurt. They may be seriously injured or just in shock or stuck. They need attention and you should check them for cuts. If your piggy has fallen or got stuck/twisted, you should get them to the vet as they may have broken something.
 
OK, now the final section...

11. Chattering

This sounds like your guinea pig is cold. Their teeth are chattering together quite loudly.

Your guinea pig may make this noise toward another guinea pig or even toward you. It is probably preceeded by rumbling/rumble strutting and murmuring. Your guinea pig may be snorting and circling another pig too.

This is part of the dominance display and is also a seriously aggressive call. It's saying to another pig, "I've got big teeth so back down or you'll get hurt". If this is toward another guinea pig, it's a signal for you to get a towel ready. It is part of normal dominance behaviour but it also the last call/warning you will get before physical violence. Your guinea pigs may back down from this point or they may fight, get ready.

If this sound is made toward you, you are frightening your guinea pig and they feel trapped. You may be trying to pick up your guinea pig or have just handled them poorly. Guinea pigs very, very, rarely bite but if your guinea pig is chattering at you and you don't heed the warning, you may well get bitten.

12. Chat-calling

This is almost identical to chattering but is not aggressive.

Your guinea pig may well just have been wheeking at you and is probably climbing his/her cage bars or approaching you.

Your guinea pig really wants something. Maybe you're feeding other guinea pigs and they think it's their turn or they can smell food outside the cage and want you to stop teasing them with it ;)

13. Chirping

I have never heard this call but it has been described as a bird-like chirping/singing.

This is a rare call and most frequently occurs in a herd or large group. One guinea pig will start it off and others will join in. The chirpers will stand to attention (see burring) and chirp like birds.

This is most probably a distress/alarm call although nobody has been able to pin this one down. My guess is that, in herd dynamics, this is the remnant of their ancestors' warning signal that a predator is approaching.
 
Okey-dokey,

That's it. Please fire away with comments, additions, critiques etc. If people think this is helpful, perhaps we can get this to be a sticky. What does everyone think?
 
OK,

I've received some helpful feedback in regard to this and will post a second draft at some point this week :)

Please feel free to add any more comments you may have in the meantime :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top