Piggie Talking To Himself?

[rinlalin]

hello all, so my piggie is new to our house, and during the day he is frozen when i come in the room and never makes a noise. however, at night, when i'm laying in bed, i hear him walking around, quietly squeeking/talking to himself while occassionally chewing on the bars and other things in his pen. i've tried getting a video so you guys could hear, but when i move and he realizes i'm here, he stops in his tracks like he's terrified of me. (i wish he didn't see me as a big scary predator!)

are these by chance happy noises or anxious noises?

 

[rinlalin]

hello all, so my piggie is new to our house, and during the day he is frozen when i come in the room and never makes a noise. however, at night, when i'm laying in bed, i hear him walking around, quietly squeeking/talking to himself while occassionally chewing on the bars and other things in his pen. i've tried getting a video so you guys could hear, but when i move and he realizes i'm here, he stops in his tracks like he's terrified of me. (i wish he didn't see me as a big scary predator!)

are these by chance happy noises or anxious noises?

UPDATE: i managed to catch a video in the dark. here. if you listen closely, you can hear him just chatting it up with himself!

 

[Dindypig]

some pigs are natural mutterers, chatterers or just generally vocal when going about their business.

 

[Wiebke]

hello all, so my piggie is new to our house, and during the day he is frozen when i come in the room and never makes a noise. however, at night, when i'm laying in bed, i hear him walking around, quietly squeeking/talking to himself while occassionally chewing on the bars and other things in his pen. i've tried getting a video so you guys could hear, but when i move and he realizes i'm here, he stops in his tracks like he's terrified of me. (i wish he didn't see me as a big scary predator!)

are these by chance happy noises or anxious noises?

Hi! Is your boy a single piggy or has he got a companion. Guinea pigs are very vocal group animals that evolved roaming a territory in dense grassland where they cannot see each other and have to stay in contact with their mates via vocal updates. All piggies chunter when they are on the move as a kind of constant update of whereabouts and that all is OK where they are. Youngsters are the loudest and most vocal as they are the most vulnerable to predators (ground and air) and to accidents. This kind of constant contact at all times is very vital for all guinea pigs.

Youngsters also explore their world with their teeth and tongue. They learn what is safe to eat and what not from their elders. As rodents, they don't have a vomiting reflex. For this reason, they have about double the amount of taste buds. Your boy is obviously lacking that guidance and has to do the work on his own. He is also desperate for attention and company at all times.

Please take the time to read these guides that explain more about guinea pig life and instincts:
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Companionship

 

[Freela]

Many pigs chatter away to themselves as they go about their business. They are herd animals and this lets the rest the group know where they are. Some pigs are noisier about this than others!

 

[Merab]

This is normal - my Jemimah can chunter for England. She’s incapable of taking a step without talking. The others also chunter away.
Do you talk to him whenever you’re around?
It helps get them used to your voice so he won’t be so scared of you.
I talk to mine every time I go anywhere near their room.

 

[Merab]

I’ve just realised - is this Bootsy you’re talking about?
Is he fully recovered now?
One reason he may be so scared is that he’s had quite a lot of trauma in his young life.

 

[rinlalin]

I’ve just realised - is this Bootsy you’re talking about?
Is he fully recovered now?
One reason he may be so scared is that he’s had quite a lot of trauma in his young life.

sadly, no. i made a post about the health of petsmart piggies. bootsy passed away a few days ago and all the store told me was he had some bloating on his left side. i'm very upset about his passing, but have decided to not get piggies from there ever again.

this is a baby boy i got from a family owned pet shop 2 hours away. he looks SO much healthier than the petsmart piggies, and is showing no signs of any sickness.

i'm thinking this little guy (his name is caramel!) is just scared from the long drive and being in a new place, but i wanted to make sure his chattering was normal.

 

[Little Piglets]

Do you have toys/tunnels/hay etc. for the gp to play/explore/eat?

Noticed when I initially got my male, and he was in his 1st (store) cage, that on occasion, when scared/stressed he would run to the corner, try and climb, and bite at the bars out frustration. Other times, if either of my male or female are outside of the respective cage (her more than him) they will do the same thing, as they WANT back in. If they are doing the sniffing through bars at each other, they'll nibble at the bars too.

With the exception of the sniffing through bars, adding a ton of tunnels to his cage and avoiding having him near/in while doing a bedding change, stopped that. Sometimes, she'll nibble at the bars if I'm not quick enough with a treat, or am getting several veggies out at once, cutting them up, etc. though usually giving one by hand will stop it as the rest is prepared. When on a normal day left on their own, I've never seen them nibble at the bars just to do it. If they have a hiding house, it should stop it too.

Being frozen (freeze or flight) is just because it isn't used to you/environment yet. Treats will break that. Put them in the dish 1st, then over time try hand feeding. I've had luck with a young male and female, by using my hand to "walk" around them; left handed so: index finger is right front leg and thumb right rear, ring is left front and pinky is left rear, while middle finger is head/snout (think of an aardvark). Hand in cage, would = FREEZE or run. Hand imitating a fugly looking tick rodent walking = completely disarmed. I still do this from time to time, if either are getting jumpy for whatever reason. A great time to try it is during fresh grass additions. I'll "walk" the hand over, poke the grass with middle finger tip, then move backwards a few inches. Then repeat several times. If guinea pig is disarmed, it'll eat. Can slowly put middle finger tip up to their nostrils (close w/o touching) then back it away and go back to grass. Male was eating from hand within a couple days after getting him, and female was the same. He was 6 weeks and she was 4 weeks, roughly

 

[Little Piglets]

Too late to edit above but meant timmy hay, not grass, and "stick, not "tick". Also, can use the hand walking as way to "pet" them in the cage (i.e. walk up, do the nose sniff with finger tip, then slowly move hand to pet upper back area), early on, assuming they are in the mood for petting. I won't push my luck though, and just go for right below should blade area, upper back. Anywhere else might get them running, though my male allows full back some times and will drop on his belly and stretchhhhhh out.