Guinea Pig Noises and What They Mean

If you own a guinea pig, you are probably well aware of their tendency to make random noise. It can be in the middle of the day or the middle of the night, and you might hear sounds from your guinea pig ringing around the house.

It is important to tell the difference between the sounds a guinea pig makes. In this article, we will explain what all their noises mean. Hopefully this will give you some insight on how to make sure your guinea pig is well accommodated and comfortable.

Guinea Pig Noises and What They Mean

Below are the most common noises that guinea pigs make, along with what they mean.

Whistle

A whistle is one of the most common noises a guinea pig makes. A guinea pig will usually whistle when they are excited about something. This could happen when someone enters the room, or if they think they are about to be fed.

Purr

While they might not do it as loud or as frequently as a cat, guinea pigs are known for their tendency to purr. A guinea pig will usually purr when they are comfortable or enjoying something. However, if a guinea pig continues to purr nonstop, it might signal that they are annoyed about something.

Squeal

A high pitch squeal from a guinea pig usually means they are excited about something. It is also common for guinea pigs to communicate with each other by squealing at one another.

This might sound similar to a squeak.

Hiss

As you might infer, hissing in guinea pigs is usually not a good sign. A guinea pig will hiss when they are mad about something, or if they feel threatened. It can be their way of telling a predator to back off.

Chirp

While it usually is not as loud as a bird, it is not uncommon for guinea pigs to start chirping. The main reason guinea pigs chirp is because they are anxious or scared of something. If you hear you guinea pig chirping, you should check on them immediately.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding or chattering is also a common sound made by guinea pigs. Similar to chirping, a guinea pig that is chattering their teeth is usually anxious or upset about something. A guinea pig will also start grinding their teeth when they feel aggressive.

Whining

As you would expect, a guinea pig that is whining is uncomfortable or unpleased about something. This could be a result of something you did, but also could be caused by the actions of another guinea pig in the cage. A guinea pig will also whine when they are hungry or thirsty.

Scream

If you guinea pig lets out a high pitched scream, you should check on them immediately. When a guinea pig screams, it usually means they are in pain or feel like they are in imminent danger.

How to make a guinea pig stop making noises?

Now if your guinea pig is making noises at all times of the night, you are probably interested in ways to make it stop. While it depends on what it causing them to make the noises, I do have a couple suggestions which should help limit the amount of noise they make.

For starters, always make sure your guinea pig has enough to eat and drink. It is important that your guinea pig has access to timothy hay and vegetables with Vitamin C. A guinea pig will make a lot of noise if they are hungry or thirsty, so this could be the solution. Additionally, you might want to consider a new spot for your guinea pig cage. There might be something in their current location that causes them to be anxious or scared.

Lastly, you can also get your guinea pig some toys to play with. This will help ware them out so that they don’t make a lot of noise at night. You could also get another guinea pig for them to play with. Guinea pigs are also big chewers, so you can also distract them by giving them something to chew on, such as cardboard.