Guinea Pigs are being EXTREMELY LOUD lately! (why?)

[elena]

Hi everyone!

I have been surprised about my guinea pigs behavior this last couple of weeks if not months. For context I have four male guinea pigs; An adult and a 4 months old live together, the other two adults live separated while I try bonding between them..

So basically a big cage (2x4) for two piggies and two separated cages (2x2) for one piggie each, all four are close to each other so they all can interact between them. Situation start when, I adopted the little one, I, of course know, younger piggies tend to be more talkative, but woah this is getting out of hand!

It is the typical wheek wheek they do when food is coming, the popular one, situation is, they do it, ALL THE TIME now. I cannot even more in the room without all 4 of them screaming at me. I wouldn't say I am annoyed? It is just a little bit difficult because they are not like dogs they don't understand a "shh", but I really have no idea why or from where they decided to start screaming 24/7. Don't get me wrong they are adorable but sometimes a random WHEEEEK WHEEEK makes me crazy.

I thought maybe I wasn't giving them enough food, but tbh, they are kinda fat according to the vet, they get their food on specific times everyday, nothing about their routine changes. Water change morning and night, hay always full, veggies at night and guinea pig food (1 + 1/2 spoon a day each) in the morning. Isn't that a healthy routine? It has worked for me all these years, I NEED HELP!

Do you guys think they may be stressed out? Too excited or unhappy? Maybe bored? I really don't know.

I attach a pic of the 4 profesional wheekers for reference.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone!

I have been surprised about my guinea pigs behavior this last couple of weeks if not months. For context I have four male guinea pigs; An adult and a 4 months old live together, the other two adults live separated while I try bonding between them..

So basically a big cage (2x4) for two piggies and two separated cages (2x2) for one piggie each, all four are close to each other so they all can interact between them. Situation start when, I adopted the little one, I, of course know, younger piggies tend to be more talkative, but woah this is getting out of hand!

It is the typical wheek wheek they do when food is coming, the popular one, situation is, they do it, ALL THE TIME now. I cannot even more in the room without all 4 of them screaming at me. I wouldn't say I am annoyed? It is just a little bit difficult because they are not like dogs they don't understand a "shh", but I really have no idea why or from where they decided to start screaming 24/7. Don't get me wrong they are adorable but sometimes a random WHEEEEK WHEEEK makes me crazy.

I thought maybe I wasn't giving them enough food, but tbh, they are kinda fat according to the vet, they get their food on specific times everyday, nothing about their routine changes. Water change morning and night, hay always full, veggies at night and guinea pig food (1 + 1/2 spoon a day each) in the morning. Isn't that a healthy routine? It has worked for me all these years, I NEED HELP!

Do you guys think they may be stressed out? Too excited or unhappy? Maybe bored? I really don't know.

I attach a pic of the 4 profesional wheekers for reference.

Hi

4 months of age is the time piggies are at their loudest and most dramatic.

They have the range but not yet the experience as they move out of the 'school weeks' after weaning (during which period they rely on the guidance of an older piggy to teach them to master the intricacies of social interaction and how to master their environment) and into teenage when they are increasingly spreading their wings on their own.
It is the age they are at greatest risk of accidents and predation as the group is moving around little paths in the underground to their feeding grounds twice a day. You will find that the youngsters will start becoming gradually quieter again after about 6 months when they have increasingly gained that experience.
They will noticeably calm down (including their hormones which reach their life-long high around 6 months) when they come into full adulthood around 15 months.

If you want to learn more about the development of guinea pigs over a life time, you will find this article series I have written for Guinea Pig Magazine in 2020 very interesting, which I have been allowed to share with the forum: Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs

 

[elena]

Hi

4 months of age is the time piggies are at their loudest and most dramatic.

They have the range but not yet the experience as they move out of the 'school weeks' after weaning (during which period they rely on the guidance of an older piggy to teach them to master the intricacies of social interaction and how to master their environment) and into teenage when they are increasingly spreading their wings on their own.
It is the age they are at greatest risk of accidents and predation as the group is moving around little paths in the underground to their feeding grounds twice a day. You will find that the youngsters will start becoming gradually quieter again after about 6 months when they have increasingly gained that experience.
They will noticeably calm down (including their hormones which reach their life-long high around 6 months) when they come into full adulthood around 15 months.

If you want to learn more about the development of guinea pigs over a life time, you will find this article series I have written for Guinea Pig Magazine in 2020 very interesting, which I have been allowed to share with the forum: Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs

thank you! I will be reading that 100%, do you think the other 3 may be imitating him too?

 

[Wiebke]

thank you! I will be reading that 100%, do you think the other 3 may be imitating him too?

It will spill over to a degree, yes; the first 2-3 months of teenage are usually the liveliest and loudest.

In about a year you will suddenly wonder how calm and rather boring all your piggies have gone without all the teenage drama...

PS: If you are interested in more Guinea Pig information, then you will find this link here helpful. We cover a very wide range of topics in our practical information resource.
Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection