Guinea pigs make a wide range of sounds to communicate to other guinea pigs, as well as you. In today’s article, I will answer specifically why guinea pigs squeak at night. I will also give some tips on how to stop the behavior from occurring.
Why do guinea pigs squeak at night?
The main reasons guinea pigs squeak at night is because they are being territorial, they are bored, they expect food, or they are in pain/have an illness.
There is also the chance that your guinea pig is making happy squeaks.
Territorial
Based on my experience, guinea pigs usually squeak at night because they are being territorial with each other. As a species, guinea pigs are naturally territorial, especially males.
A guinea pig might start squeaking if another guinea pig occupies their space. Squealing is a natural sound for guinea pigs which is used frequently in territorial battles.
Also, as a herd species, there are certain guinea pigs that might try to take on a dominant role in the cage. This can lead to more disputes which result in squeaking.
Food
Guinea pigs will also squeak if they desire food. You could be serving them a healthy amount, but they might still squeak to demand more.
It is also worth noting that guinea pigs will squeak in anticipation for food. For example, if you feed them every night, they might become more anxious and squeaky during the night thinking that they might get fed.
Pain or illness
Your guinea pig might also be squeaking at night if they are in pain. A common pain for older guinea pigs is arthritis.
As far as illnesses, there are a couple common once that can cause your guinea pig to squeak. For example, a respiratory illness can certainly cause a guinea pig to squeak or have trouble breathing. It is also usually accompanied by a cough.
If your guinea pig squeaks while it is peeing, there is a chance that it has a kidney stone. If you suspect your guinea pig has an illness, it is very important to identify which kind. You should then take them to a vet.
While it’s not very common, there is the chance that your guinea pig is pregnant.
Boredom
Guinea pigs might also be squeaking because they are bored and want attention. This can happen if they don’t get enough interaction during the day. They might also be squeaking because they want you to pet it.
Happy squeaks
Last of all, there is a chance you are just hearing happy squeaks. They are usually shorter sounds and less loud. Guinea pigs frequently communicate with each other, so it is certainly possible that two of your guinea pigs are having a friendly conversation.
Now here are some tips on how to stop your guinea pig from squeaking at night.
How to stop guinea pig from squeaking at night
I recommend feeding schedules during the day, big cages, lots of toys and hideout, and careful introductions.
Feeding schedule
As mentioned above, guinea pigs can get used to their feeding times. For this reason, I suggest you feed your guinea pig during the day.
That way, they will be less inclined to expect food at night.
Take to the vet
If you suspect your guinea pig has an illness, I suggest you take it to the vet. Just about all guinea pig illnesses are more treatable in their earlier stages.
Big cages
It is extremely important that you have a large cage, especially if you have multiple guinea pigs. Bigger cages will certainly lead to less territorial disputes.
On a similar note, I suggest you have multiple houses so that each guinea pig can get one.
Toys
Adding toys can also help curb the behavior. This is because your guinea pig might play with the toys enough during the day that they are tired by night time.
Introductions
It is also important that you carefully introduce your guinea pigs to each other. First impressions are everything, even in the guinea pig world.
You can learn more tips on this guide of how to introduce guinea pigs.
Cage separator
In the unfortunate case that you have two guinea pigs that don’t get along, you might have to resort to separating them.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to separate guinea pigs in the same cage.
Fan
If all else fails and your guinea pig continues to squeak at night, you might have to improvise. You can try turning on a fan to help drown out the squeaking noise. I know this isn’t ideal, it will still help you get sleep at night.