Why does guinea pigs chirp

Find here a small collection of notes on behaviors like chirping. More notes will be added as time permits. You may hear a few people say they've heard their guinea pigs "chirp".

Not all guinea pigs will make this noise and some guinea pig owners have never heard it. Others have a special pig who chirps frequently. It is said to be a very bird-like chirp and can vary in frequency faster or slower. Chirping guinea pigs may look like they are in a trance. Each reaction is different but most commonly guinea pigs will stand stock still and listen "all the pigs froze" "all of the pigs in the room perked up and sat still listening" "everyone shut up, raised heads, and stared at the computer" "All the pigs ran into their huts, stuck their heads out and just froze and listened to it two times" " A few pigs are unmoved "indifferent" "He didn't care".

These chutter noises are sometimes followed by a whine. Drrr: When your guinea pig is startled, they will likely make a drrr sound. When this noise is made, most guinea pigs will freeze in place since they are scared.

Scream: Guinea pigs with scream when they have a fright or when they are in a fight with another animal. Pay close attention to your pet if you hear a scream. Squeal: Some guinea pigs will squeal when they are experiencing potential pain or they need attention. It can sometimes be that another guinea pig is stealing his favorite spot to eat. Context is very important with this sound. Sometimes chattering is innocuous—some guinea pigs chatter if they are anxiously awaiting food and growing impatient with their human, who may be giving them attention instead of giving them a meal.

In other cases, chattering can be a clue that your pet is seriously irritated and emotionally uncomfortable with the situation they find themselves in. Chattering can sometimes occur during introductions. Chattering that occurs between two guinea pigs especially during introductions is a sign that you should be on alert and ready to step in before aggressive behaviors escalate.

In some cases, a softer variation of this sound can be a sign that your guinea pig is in pain. If you hear your guinea pig whining while they are in their habitat, something may be wrong, including but not limited to bladder sludge or stones.

Be sure to watch them closely to see if the whining occurs again, and what they are doing when the whining is taking place. For more information on symptoms and what to do about bladder sludge, visit our blog.

This is one of the more mysterious sounds guinea pigs can make! The Tree of Life web project notes that some guinea pig noises are ultrasonic and out of the human hearing range, but other guinea pigs can hear them. Having vocal abilities requires more than just vocal folds. A good set of lungs is another critical element. Guinea pig lungs are a bit different than human lungs. Guinea pigs have four lobes in their right lung and three in their left.

In humans, three lobes make up the right lung while two make up the left. Guinea pigs are sociable, herd animals, which might account for some of the many sounds that they make. Scientists have identified between 7 and 11 distinct sounds , and a YouTuber with the screen name skinnypigs1 uploaded a video discussing 13 guinea pig sounds.

The video has more than , views. If you share your home with guinea pigs, then you are part of the herd. Your guinea pigs are communicating with you, and your grasp of guinea pig language will grow the more you observe and try to think like your piggie. The Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue recorded nine sounds that are characterized as a happy pig, a curious pig, a hungry pig, etc.