Guinea Pig Sounds

A Guinea Pig is always trying to tell you something. On this page you can hear recordings of guinea pig sounds and noises, and learn their meaning. Cavy is a chatty animal, amusingly interactive and communicative, so you should know what he/she is trying to tell you!

In fact, guinea pigs use sounds as a primary means of communication, and since they are herd animals,
sounds are also their means of maintaining social rank.

Understanding guinea pig sounds is one of the basic prerequisites for understanding
what your pet is trying to tell you. Once you master these, you will be able to serve your masters better. You will know where to pet, where you should not touch them, when to give them food and obey them, if you need to take them out to pet them, when they are in danger, if they are having a good time, etc.

So turn your speakers on, crank up the volume and click on the sound name to actually hear it. Don’t be surprised if your pet suddenly jumps into ‘stand-by’ mode if he or she is in the hearing range.

“Good” guinea pig sounds: You are doing it right! 🙂

 

Wheeking

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• Most popular and known sound made by a guinea pig
• “Wheeking” is an onomatopoeic term for a sound which is sometimes also called squealing or whistling
• It is a frequently used vocalization, generally communicating anticipation and excitement, particularly about being fed, or in response to the presence of its owner
• Wheeking is considered to be a form of begging, in some cases mostly heard in the morning and the evening (associated with feeding time)
• Sometimes it serves as a call for an attention as they frequently call to their human slaves
• If all the food in the world is provided, and they are still making this (or similar) noise, then maybe they would like to be petted, or released to some free walking time
• One can often hear this sound when owner opens refrigerator or is rustling with plastic bags which guinea pig usually links to food source

• This is an upgrade from the plastic-bag/fridge-opening begging. Your guinea pig soon learns other food-proximity indicators
• This is an example of a guinea pig which is not completely sure, but seriously suspects that food is near, and is giving you a notice that he/she is also near, and ready to make that food gone
• The sound in the background is the sound of cleaning and chopping the carrot. This guinea pig has learned that when we are preparing vegetables for a soup, there’s going to be treats. Possibly lots of them. And this is just the reminder – when he becomes sure of it, then the real wheeking begins.
• At some point in your pet’s life, you will not be able to cut vegetables without this background noise.
• Also, at the same time you might notice your pet staring at you unrelentingly. It is OK to be afraid.
• If there is no food involved and you can hear this sound for some time (or similar, but less tense), than this could also mean that their cage is not clean, and that it bothers them. In this case, it is recommended to clean their cage as soon as possible.
• They might also want some attention, patting, or free walking time.

• Bubbling or purring can be heard when the cavy is enjoying itself/being happy (e.g. when being petted or held)
• Can be also produced when given food, grooming, or crawling around to investigate a new place
• NOTE: Beware of the purring pitch and body language which complements this guinea pig sound category and could change original meaning (if the purr is higher pitched toward the end, and your pet seems to vibrate and tense, this could be interpreted as a sound of annoyance)

• Calming, relaxing sound of guinea pig grazing hay
• Noise of spreading hay around with the animal’s front feet can be heard in the background
• TIP: Before going to work, provide your pet with fresh dose of hay, put the cage near you and enjoy morning meditation 🙂

• Possibly the least understood or heard guinea pig sound
• Sound pattern similar to bird song
• Could be related to stress or when a baby pigs want to be fed

• Sound recorded while guinea pig was sleeping comfortably on the human slave belly, wrapped in the cozy towel
• Breathing rhythm on the record does not represent the real breathing rhythm, because some of the parts were cut off so that sounds could be heard as clearly as possible
• Do you have snoring problems? This guinea pig is daring any human to beat him in the snoring contest, se feel free to accept the challenge!
• NOTE: If your guinea pig starts to make similar sounds to snoring (or wheezing/clicking) when breathing, be sure to check for symptoms of illness, just to be on the safe side

• Loosely translated, it means “Can I have some beer please!“
• It is often heard when putting the guinea pig on the starfighter in space-battle situations
• It is reported that complying with this translation saves the owner some fingers
• It is NEVER recommended to give your guinea pig a beer if not on the starfighter in space-battle setting
• Of course, this one is a joke – just to break all the seriousness. Please proceed.

“Bad” guinea pig sounds: You are about to loose a finger (or nose tip).

• Sounds like purring, only lower pitched (deeper) and accompanied with vibrating.
• Response to being scared or angry in which case the rumble often sounds higher and the body vibrates shortly
• Also related to dominance within a group
• Petting in the wrong spots (for instance, on your pet’s underside) often results in low rumbling sound

• Used to communicate annoyance or dislike for something an owner or another guinea pig is doing
• Can be heard in pursuit situations (both the pursuer and the pursuee)

• Aggressive vocalization: a sign of an agitated or angry cavy
• This guinea pig sound is made by rapidly gnashing the teeth
• Often accompanied by showing the teeth (looks like a yawn, but more sinister) and raising the head
• Freely interpreted as “back off” or “stay away”

• If you hear this sound, it could already be too late – you probably already took a hit 🙂
• Usually accompanied by teeth chattering (see previous), in some cases this sound represents the animal defending itself (usually from inside the hiding place), sometimes when tempering with the food or bedding in its near proximity
• In other cases, it could be heard while the animal is escaping, in reaction to perceived sudden danger
• Shortly after producing this sound, usually follows the strike – the animal is reaching out with its head from its hiding place in a short burst, trying to hit “the enemy” with its teeth
• Owners are advised to respect the pet’s private quarters and to stay calm if getting bitten – in no circumstances should one hit the animal or yell at it
• Our research suggests that this kind of guinea pig behavior is not very common

• A high-pitched noise of discontent, pain and/or fear
• Response to pain or immediate danger
• ! URGENT NOTE: Check on your pet ASAP to make sure everything is okay!

The coughing, chocking and sneezing sounds in guinea pigs can happen for several reasons; some of them are nothing to worry about, because, like sneezing, some coughing is considered normal in guinea pigs. However, if coughing is accompanied with other respiratory problems, or other symptoms of illnesses, or is extremely frequent, then you should take your guinea pig to the vet.

1. Eating and/or drinking too fast. If it happens while eating or drinking, their greediness is the main culprit, and this is nothing to worry about.
2. A minor irritation in the windpipe; dust irritating his/her lungs. Look into what sort of bedding are you using, or perhaps the hay is old and dusty.
3. URI (Upper Respiratory Infections). These are very dangerous bacterial infections that can result in death if left untreated. You should rule this one out. It is usually accompanied with other symptoms, like not eating/drinking. Check out the health page for more info.
4. Obstruction in the throat. Requires a more detailed vet examination, followed by a possible water rinse.