Guinea Pig And Music

B

BarnabyPiggy

New Born Pup
Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Messages
22
Reaction score
41
Points
175
I have a guinea pig who is a male, and when i listen to only this certain song he starts to vibrate and make a sound which i think is purring but i’m not too sure, at first i thought he enjoyed it but when trying to see if that’s true i had mixed reviews on whether it was good or bad :) please can someone inform me on whether he doesn’t or does like the song as it is only this one he does it too, won’t play the song again until i have an answer :)
 
It’s not possible for us to know whether he likes the music you play, but piggies are scared by loud, surprising sounds.
The vibrating is rumbling/rumblestrutting - it’s a dominance behaviour and most likely not anything to do with the music.
Does he live with another guinea pig? Guinea pigs are highly social herd animals and must never be kept alone.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It’s not possible for us to know whether he likes the music you play, but piggies are scared by loud, surprising sounds.
The vibrating is rumbling/rumblestrutting - it’s a dominance behaviour and most likely not anything to do with the music.
Does he live with another guinea pig? Guinea pigs are highly social herd animals and must never be kept alone.
Click to expand...
 
He only does it when i play that song though so i’m not sure
I did have 2 guinea pigs but sadly one died a couple months after we got him, so i’ve had him alone for 2 months now
 
One of my boys loves it when I sing and he sings/ squeaks along. that said he doesn't like anything too upbeat and gives me a little grumble to tell me that it is not satisfactory. Not sure that this is normal though.

Have you thought about finding a friend for your baby it's so sad when a piggie dies but your other pig will be lonely.
 
I’ve talked about getting another one but the people at the pet store told me it was fine to have one guinea pig but i will try get him a friend :) thanks everyone
 
BarnabyPiggy said:
I’ve talked about getting another one but the people at the pet store told me it was fine to have one guinea pig but i will try get him a friend :) thanks everyone
Click to expand...

Unfortunately some pet stores give incorrect information. Piggies should never be kept alone.
Do be aware that it is not as simple as just going out and buying a new piggy and putting them together. Two piggies have to be character compatible to be able to form a successful bond. If you have a rescue centre near you then that is the best way to find a new friend for him, particularly if they offer boar dating. Dating enables your piggy to choose his own friend and the centre help with the bonding - the fact that he can choose his own friend makes it more likely that the bond will work out.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
 
I have looked and can’t find any rescue centres near me so what’s the best way to meet new guinea pigs for him to choose a potential friend
 
BarnabyPiggy said:
I have looked and can’t find any rescue centres near me so what’s the best way to meet new guinea pigs for him to choose a potential friend
Click to expand...

Well, really the best way is via a rescue centre. However, we understand that that isn’t possible for everyone. If you were to just go and buy/get another piggy then you have no idea whether they will be character compatible so it can be risky and you must always have a plan b so that if the piggies don’t like each other that you have a spare cage so they can live separately. The instructions on how to do a bonding in this scenario is in the guides I linked in above and you need to follow the instructions - ideally quarantine for two weeks, then a week living alongside each other in separate cages, a meeting in a neutral zone (for however long it takes) and if it is successful then they can move into a freshly cleaned out cage and live their lives together

If the bonding fails, then they will need to be kept separate at all times but can live alongside each other so they can interact through the cage bars. This provides company for both piggies even if they can’t physically be together.

If the bonding were to be a success, then for two boars, you need a large single level cage - measuring at least 150cm x 60cm. Cage Size Guide

How old is your piggy?

An alternative if you have an experience vet is to have him neutered, have his six week wait for him to become infertile and then try bonding him with a female. Still, this relies on character compatibility between the piggies but a boar/sow pairing can be more stable if the sow accepts him.

Where are you located?
 
I am hesitant to buy one and do the 2 cage thing as I may end up with 2 piggies in different cages and be back to square 1, is there any other ways of introducing other guineas to him?
 
BarnabyPiggy said:
I am hesitant to buy one and do the 2 cage thing as I may end up with 2 piggies in different cages and be back to square 1, is there any other ways of introducing other guineas to him?
Click to expand...

unless you know of anybody near you who has a single piggy looking for a new home that you can try your piggy with before committing to.

It’s not necessary back to square 1 though. I know it’s a pain having two cages, but that is in actual fact better than being alone - two piggies even as singles, while it isn’t ideal, still get interaction through the bars if their bonding fails.
 
My piggy I got in June at 10-12 weeks old so roughly around 9-10months old
 
BarnabyPiggy said:
My piggy I got in June at 10-12 weeks old so roughly around 9-10months old
Click to expand...

Ah ok, that makes things a little bit more tricky, at his age, he is in his teens (and will be until around 14 months of age) so bonding your teenage boar with another boar can be problematic and character compatibility becomes even more important. Trying an older boar (one at least 18 months of age) whose testosterone has settled can help.
If you were to try a baby, while it would likely be ok for a while, once said baby hits his teens (4 months of age), then his own dominance will come out and then tensions can occur
 
I have found a guinea pig at an RSPCA looking for a home around the same age as mine, is that worth a try meeting them up and seeing what happens?
 
BarnabyPiggy said:
I have found a guinea pig at an RSPCA looking for a home around the same age as mine, is that worth a try meeting them up and seeing what happens?
Click to expand...

Yes it is worth contacting them and seeing if they offer dating and can help you. Being the same age can cause issues as they are both hormonal at the same time. If one is dominant and the other submissive then it has a higher likelihood of success but both being hormonal teens can make things difficult.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Yes it is worth contacting them and seeing if they offer dating and can help you. Being the same age can cause issues as they are both hormonal at the same time. If one is dominant and the other submissive then it has a higher likelihood of success but both being hormonal teens can make things difficult.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your help i will keep looking at places near me for other piggies but you have helped me a bunch!
 
No problem! We are always happy to help.

It can take many attempts to find a suitable friend, so don’t give up looking if the first one fails. Also be aware that while initial introductions can be positive, bonding and establishing a relationship actually continues for a couple of weeks after introductions. With boars, it is essential to have a large cage (I’ve linked our cage size guide in above) and two or three of every item (bowls, hideys, bottles etc). Always handle the dominant piggy first. Ultimately though, it is character compatibility that counts most, but ensuring you do these things can reduce any tensions upon the things which you can control.

It’s better if you can do dating but not all rescues offer it. If they won’t do dating and you have to bring home a piggy and try a bonding yourself, then ensure the rescue will take the piggy back if it fails.
 
Piggies&buns said:
No problem! We are always happy to help.

It can take many attempts to find a suitable friend, so don’t give up looking if the first one fails. Also be aware that while initial introductions can be positive, bonding and establishing a relationship actually continues for a couple of weeks after introductions. With boars, it is essential to have a large cage (I’ve linked our cage size guide in above) and two or three of every item (bowls, hideys, bottles etc). Always handle the dominant piggy first. Ultimately though, it is character compatibility that counts most, but ensuring you do these things can reduce any tensions upon the things which you can control.

It’s better if you can do dating but not all rescues offer it. If they won’t do dating and you have to bring home a piggy and try a bonding yourself, then ensure the rescue will take the piggy back if it fails.
Click to expand...
Awh yes didn’t think of that! It’s just finding a suitable piggy for him near me at the moment :( but i will keep looking and in the mean time make sure he is as happy as he can be :)
 
BarnabyPiggy said:
Awh yes didn’t think of that! It’s just finding a suitable piggy for him near me at the moment :( but i will keep looking and in the mean time make sure he is as happy as he can be :)
Click to expand...

There is always the option of neutering and finding him a wife(wives) if his introductions to other boys don’t work out. A boar can live with only one other boar (trios or more of boars almost always results in fights). But a neutered boar can live with more than one female - should your space and finances allow!

Either way, good luck and keep us posted on how it goes!
 
Piggies&buns said:
There is always the option of neutering and finding him a wife(wives) if his introductions to other boys don’t work out. A boar can live with only one other boar (trios or more of boars almost always results in fights). But a neutered boar can live with more than one female - should your space and finances allow!

Either way, good luck and keep us posted on how it goes!
Click to expand...
Awh yes will definitely look out for any females too!
 
Sometimes pigs will dislike a particular sound... one of mine used to rumble when someone would clear their throat or cough/sneeze. We used to have a landline phone that made a beep when you dialed and Hadley would always purr at that. Other noises didn't phase them, but they would sometimes find something that they constantly responded to with displeasure!
 
Freela said:
Sometimes pigs will dislike a particular sound... one of mine used to rumble when someone would clear their throat or cough/sneeze. We used to have a landline phone that made a beep when you dialed and Hadley would always purr at that. Other noises didn't phase them, but they would sometimes find something that they constantly responded to with displeasure!
Click to expand...

Thank you! haven’t played it since so no complains from him
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top