The Language of the Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs have a whole range of sounds to communicate with each other. There is even a term called ‘Holler Hog’ who is the guinea pig that lets everyone else know when it is DINNER TIME! Who is the Holler Hog in your family? To understand your guinea pig, let’s help translate what your guinea pig may be telling you.
WHEEK
AKA “I’m hungry!” or “YIPPEE!”
This is the most common sound you will hear from your guinea pig. Their WHEEKing sound comes from the feeling that they are so excited they can’t contain it anymore. Just like when we shout, “HOORAY!” This is usually paired with when they are about to be fed or given a snack… or really anything food related. Their last name is pig after all.
Chortle
AKA “I’m relaxed.”
The happiest sound you can hear from your guinea pig. It is quiet and sometimes hard to hear, but this is your guinea pig telling you how comfortable and happy they are. You will hear this when you have completely bonded with your guinea pig. Usually, during lap time, they will “pancake,” close their eyes and make this sound. You know you have made it as a guinea pig caretaker when you hear this noise.
Chutting or Clucking
AKA “I’m having fun!”
We bet you can guess this noise sounds like a chicken cluck. This sound can be heard when they are playing with you, their guinea pig friends or even when exploring on their own. It has a happy sound. Guinea pigs love to play and socialize, so they use this sound doing just about everything. A chutting guinea pig is a guinea pig loving life!
Rumbling
There are two types of Rumbles. One means dominance, and the other means Uh-Oh!
Dominance Rumbles: Guinea pigs will make this sound to one another when trying to decide who is the boss. It can be a part of saying, “This is my home, so you better play by my rules.” or, “I want to be the leader of the group now.” When it is a Dominance Rumble, you will also see your guinea pig swinging their body side to side. This is their way of making themselves look bigger and tougher than their other guinea pig roommates. The sound doesn’t mean it is a bad thing, guinea pigs do need someone to take charge of the group (even if it is a group of two). You might get some disagreements from time to time on who is in charge and that is okay as long as it doesn’t turn into a fight.
Uh-Oh Rumbles: This sound is paired with them standing completely frozen. This means they are scared or startled by something. Always think back to what guinea pigs would be doing in the wild. In the wild, they have a lot of things to look out for in order to survive. This is their way of communicating with their own wild guinea pig friends that something bad might be happening and they should run and hide.
Chattering
AKA “Stop that!”
Guinea pigs can be in bad moods too from time to time or don’t like something. When that happens they make this sound that is almost like they are grumbling under their breath. They make this sound by clicking their teeth together. If you hear this noise while holding your guinea pig, it is best to give them their space. Another common time to hear them make this noise is when they are meeting a new guinea pig. Always have an adult with you when two piggies meet for the first time, that way they can step in if this noise begins to escalate.
Whining
AKA “I don’t like this.”
This is a “negative” sound. Your guinea pig is trying to tell you that they don’t like whatever is happening right now. If your guinea pig makes this sound while alone in their home, then have an adult come to check on them as this means your guinea pig might not be feeling well.
Chirping
AKA “Something is UP and I don’t know what to do about it.”
This noise sounds like a bird chirp, but it is not a happy sound and is the rarest sound you might hear from your guinea pig. A lot of guinea pigs will never chirp. It is so rare that there is no agreement in the human world of what this sound might mean. The best guess is that it is an alert sound.
Shrieking
AKA “That hurts!”
Guinea pigs can cry too, not with tears but with this sound. Like humans, guinea pigs will make an “owie” sound when they are hurt or don’t like the situation they are in. If they make this sound while you are holding them, have an adult help you gently put your guinea pig down. They might be hurt or panicking, so we want to make sure we are extra extra careful with them.
