Guinea Pig Sounds and What They Mean

In this video, we will explore the most common sounds that guinea pigs make and explain what they mean.

Wheeking
This noise sounds like a long, high pitched whistle, or squeal, and indicates excitement or anticipation, particularly about being fed.
You’ll often hear your guinea pigs making this sound when they are hungry, so don’t be surprised if they wheek around the time you usually feed them, or when you’re preparing their food.
Interestingly enough, wheeking is a sound that’s exclusively directed towards humans. Scientists have concluded that guinea pigs in the wild don’t actually wheek at each other.
Chutting
Chutting is a sound of contentment. Guinea pigs make this noise when they’re enjoying the moment, or when they are happy and comfortably running around, exploring, or relaxing. Guinea pigs that are chutting are loving life!
Teeth Chattering
You have probably heard your guinea pigs chatter their teeth together. It may sound like a hissing noise, or rapid streak of squeaks. The sound of their teeth chattering is meant to serve as a warning to others around them. It usually indicates that your guinea pig is unhappy, angry, or agitated at a certain situation.
Teeth chattering in guinea pigs may also be a sign of pain or dental issue, and may be combined with showing the teeth in a yawn.
Purring
Purring is a low, constant vocalization that sounds like a mix between a grumble of a dog and a low purr of a cat.
There are two opposite translations for a Guinea Pig’s purr. Piggies may purr when they are happy, or when they are angry. So you’ll need to look at the context or situation to figure out what kind of purring is happening.
If you are petting your guinea pig gently, or feeding them their favorite treat, and you hear a purr, it most likely means your little pet is happy and enjoying its time with you.
Rumbling
Many people have a difficult time differentiating a rumble sound from a purr, but the rumble sound is produced in a lower tone, and is often accompanied by guinea pigs swaying their butt, or moving around slowly.
More often than not, guinea pigs rumble when they want to display dominance, or when a male Guinea pig is courting a female.
If you hear your male piggy pursuing a female while making a low purring noise, that is most likely a rumble.
All in all, this sound is commonly heard when a male guinea pig wants to woo a female and a female wants to let nearby males know she’s in season.
Chirping:
This is a very rare noise. It sounds like a bird chirping, and could easily be confused with a bird in your house.
This mysterious noise is not fully understood, and not everyone agrees on the meaning of it, but current thinking is that it’s a sign of stress or fear. It’s considered to be an alert signal—something that causes a guinea pig to be deeply concerned.
Complaining
This is a squeaky grunt noise, and it happens when guinea pigs want more space. Something may be too close to them, or your little pet doesn’t want to share their food with a fellow piggy. It could be that their cage is too small.
Now that we have gone over different guinea pig’s sounds, let’s talk about guinea pig’s body language.
Popcorning
Popcorning is when a guinea pig hops straight up in the air, sometimes repeatedly. Because of the suddenness of the jumping, it’s been called popcorning.
It usually happens when guinea pigs are very happy and excited. They’re having a good time, and literally jumping for joy!
Sprawling
Sprawling is when a guinea pig lies down on its side or belly. This position indicates that your little pet is comfortable, and feels safe with its surroundings.
Sprawling is a vulnerable position for a guinea pig because it can take much longer to rise up in case of danger or predators’ attack. So if your guinea pigs sleep this way when they are next to you, then it means that they fully trust you and feel comfortable with you.
Running Away From Being Picked Up:
Guinea pigs are prey animals, so their instinct is to run away if they feel threatened.
If you're trying to pick them up and they back away from you, it's not a rejection intrinsically but rather a natural defense. Just give your little pet a bit of time and patience and they'll enjoy spending time with you outside of the cage from time to time.
Fidgeting While Being Held:
This is often a sign that your guinea pig is just tired of being held, or needs to go to the bathroom. It’s important to remember that guinea pigs often urinate every 15 minutes because they have a small bladder.
Licking
More often than not, guinea pigs lick you to show you affection and love. They may even want to groom you to show that they care about your well-being. A guinea may also be giving you a lick simply because you taste good! You may have the residue of some yummy treat on your skin and your little pet just want to lap it up!