What Does This Sound Mean? (video Included)

[AngieLee]

Hello,i"m new to the forum. I had a guinea pig when I was a child, but this is my first time owning since being an adult. We (my boyfriend and i) got our adult male Baxter from a family who didn't want him anymore (they got a dog and the kids stopped paying attention to him), not long after, my friends female guinea pig had babies (it was an accident, the pet store she got them from swore up and down that both piggies were female. well apparently not and surprise babies!). so we took a baby boy from her to be a companion for Baxter. we got darn lucky, since we chose the baby, not Baxter (he was around all 3 babies though and was popcorning everywhere) and there has been no fighting. Baxter has been a bit of a bully in the cage, but when out of the cage they are glued to each other (i just read the sticky about boars living together, i am going to go out and purchase 2 of everything,right now we have 2 food bowls but they share everything else, and try and make the cage more stimulating for them and hopefully that helps the bullying in the cage. there is NO fighting but Baxter will push the baby around, walk on top of him, chase him away from food dish etc)

Lately when we have them out of cage together they will call for each other, and when Baxter is near the baby, or sometimes when we pet him, he will make this strange sound. almost like a weird purring sound. I am not sure if it is a happy sound or a threatening sound towards the baby. I was wondering if someone could help me out and let me know what it means. I will attempt to attach a video of the sound. First time using this forum, so hopefully i can figure it out.

(p.s. the baby will be named, but my boyfriend and I just haven't come to an agreement on a name yet, if its this hard to name a guinea pig, i cant imagine the trouble we will have with a human child)

 

[Lilly]

In the video Baxter seems to be purring and enjoying his back rub. But neither of my boys makes this sound when near each other. It's more of a deeper rumble Brrrr accompanied by a strutting walk (hence the term rumblestrutting) and is just them displaying dominance. Perhaps that is what Baxter is doing to baby. The other behaviours you mention (calling for each other, sticking together outside of the cage) does indicate a good bond is forming. I would definitely get 2 of everything and I do mean everything. My 2 boys have been together for almost 4 years now and my dominant piggy Hazelnut still chases Peanut Butter out of hideys, off food bowls, etc but PB then just settles for the other one and peace is restored. But when they're out of the cage Hazelnut will occasionally allow PB to snuggle in with him.

 

[Gizi]

Well the video shows he is enjoying the piggie rub Ususally when you hear the sound a piggie is doing near another pig that means he is rumble strutting. They sort of wave their hips side to side and make a rumbling noise. Rumble sturtting is dominance behaviour.

Good Luck!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Good that you have found Baxter a little companion. What you are witnessing is normal dominance behaviour. Rumblestrutting, as we call the mild dominance behaviour, is pretty much daily boar behaviour and nothing to worry about.

When on the lap and being relaxed, it means pleasure. If it is short and sharp, more like burr, and often accompanied by a head butt, then it signals displeasure. Guinea pig sounds are often quite similar and need to be interpreted in combination with body language and situational context, but you will get the hang of it eventually!

You may find our information threads at the top of this section helpful in explaining the various dominance behaviours as well as our boar guide. You are bound to see some more action when your little boy hits the big teenage hormones between about 4-14 months old.

Would some parts of this thread here also help? Your two boys are obviously both used to being pets, so you don't have to worry about bringing them round to human interaction.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/