Sort of purring, juddering sound.........

[sarahjane69]

Hi

Yesterday we picked up a new cage mate for Marmite, as her previous one (mia) died a few weeks ago, they seem to get on great, Marmite spent ages sniffing and poking her with nose, and then the new one ( yet to be named) followed her everywhere, so thats all good,

But, now Marmite is acting strange towards me? everytime I go to put my hand in the cage she blocks me from going near the new one, and makes this purring, juddering sound, but her body is not vibrating,

Is she just being over protective of the new one?

 

[twiams]

Sounds just like being protective to me, but i may be wrong !
Just keep going with the handling and I'm sure it will soon stop.

 

[mikulinek]

Hi,

It's difficult to tell from your description. Can you tell me if the purring noise is: deep? short and sharp? long and repeated? Does she move/make any gesture when doing this noise.

The thing is that rumbling, rumble strutting, burring and purring are all very similar noises but usually accompanied by other behaviour which can help you distinguish them.

 

[sarahjane69]

Hi,

It's difficult to tell from your description. Can you tell me if the purring noise is: deep? short and sharp? long and repeated? Does she move/make any gesture when doing this noise.

The thing is that rumbling, rumble strutting, burring and purring are all very similar noises but usually accompanied by other behaviour which can help you distinguish them.

Marmite has never acted this way before, actually its probably more of a burring, its quite a short sound, then she repeats, she stands still while doing it, and ive never heard her do it before, and its only if I go to touch the new guinea pig,

 

[mikulinek]

Marmite has never acted this way before, actually its probably more of a burring, its quite a short sound, then she repeats, she stands still while doing it, and ive never heard her do it before, and its only if I go to touch the new guinea pig,

It sounds almost certainly like a burr. Piggies will burr when they're startled or alarmed usually. Often it will be in response to an alarming noise but it could very well be that she is being protective of the new/younger guinea pig and sounding a warning to other piggies. It's not an aggressive noise threatening you though - piggies don't really do that - I wouldn't worry abut it too much. As you know I'm sure, once a piggy learns that something is safe/not threatening, they stop reacting so much to that thing. I would continue as normal and her burring should stop when she realises there's no threat