Guinea pig squeaks: why, what to do?

Man communicates by means of speech. Words can express joy or sadness, tenderness or anger. Unfortunately, pets, particularly rodents, cannot be understood in this way. They make sounds that can not always be interpreted. It remains only to guess what the animal wanted to “say”. Over time, people are able to connect these or those sounds of pets with their behavior, desires or needs. However, at first we have to act instinctively or with the help of advice shared by experienced owners.

Unlike other rodents, guinea pigs make a whole bunch of interesting sounds – purring, chirping, squeaking, rumbling, hissing, baring their teeth or whistling. Today we will talk about why does a guinea pig squeak? It is a highly controversial sound that can mean both good and bad.

Why does a guinea pig squeak?

Guinea pigs can whistle to express positive emotions, to show their anxiety, or to tell you that they are in pain. You can learn to separate the good from the bad by the tone of the squeak. If it’s low, it’s an expression of happiness or excitement, while a high pitch indicates fear or pain.

It is impossible to figure out why a guinea pig squeaks without analyzing the situation in which it finds itself and its behavior in general.

Causes of guinea pig squeaks

Anxiety or fear

This is probably one of the most common reasons. A guinea pig squeaks when it feels life threatening, frightened, or afraid. This occurs when:

• a rodent finds itself in an unfamiliar environment
• stranger picks up a pig
• animal is transported to another location
• there are other pets nearby: a dog, cat or parrot

What to do?

If you ignore this signal, the guinea pig will squeak even louder. It is better to approach and deal with the situation. Eliminate the cause of anxiety and try to provide the animal with peace and comfort.

Protest

Unlike other rodents, guinea pigs will not quietly tolerate in case they don’t like something. Even being held in their arms when they are uncomfortable will be accompanied by a little squealing.

What to do?

Attentive attitude to the pet and timely response to the squeak of the rodent will identify the cause of his discontent and eliminate the problem.

Anxiety, stress

Guinea pigs are sociable and demand attention. By communicating with their owner, they build a bond, the lack of which causes the animal to feel anxious. The more a person talks to the pet, is near the cage so that he can hear the smell of the owner, the calmer he will be.

What to do?

Establishing a good bond with your guinea pig is helped by tasty treats. This is a kind of positive reinforcement of human contact. Good emotions give a sense of comfort, so the animal will not have a reason to squeak.

Heat

Animals do not tolerate heat and stuffiness well. To thermoregulate in hot weather, your guinea pig may squeak and breathe heavily.

What to do?

In the heat, the cage with the rodent should not be left in direct sunlight. He should be able to hide in a cool place. For cooling it is better to use a fan or air conditioner, directed not at the animal, but to the side.

Poor care

Among rodents, guinea pigs are characterized by their cleanliness and tidiness. If the cage is not cleaned in time, they can get dirty and suffer from this by squeaking or squealing.

What to do?

Regular cleaning of your rodent’s cage will keep it clean, happy and healthy.

Guinea pigs may squeak if they are hungry or want water. To see if this is the cause, all you have to do is feed or water your pet.

Allergies

In some cases, guinea pigs will squeak when they feel unwell due to allergies. Other symptoms include tearing and sneezing.

What to do?

The first thing to do is to identify the allergen. This can be dust or pollen, cigarette smoke, cage bedding or food. Depending on the problem, the cage will be cleaned, bedding or food will be changed.

Pain

A small animal, when experiencing painful sensations, will squeak shrilly. At first, the guinea pig squeaks to get the owner’s attention, communicating that something is wrong with it. Next, the sounds get louder and are more like a squeal or scream.

What to do?

If necessary, first aid is given to the animal, depending on the problem. Next, a specialist will be needed and the pet should be taken to them as soon as possible.

Disease

Some diseases cause guinea pigs to squeak. For example, in a respiratory infection.

What to do?

If all other causes of possible squealing of the rodent are excluded, or if other signs of disease – depressed state, diarrhea, discharge from the nose or eyes, refusal to eat – then the problem is really related to the health of the animal. Contacting a veterinarian is the only true solution in this case.

You can also tell what your guinea pig needs by the nature of the squeaks:

• complaining – loneliness, fear
• persistent – hunger, need for attention
• piercing – pain

If your guinea pig is squeaking, it doesn’t mean there is a problem. Sometimes the squeaking means joy and is an element of play. This is how animals express their emotions. Over time, the owner will be able to understand all the sounds produced by the animal. The main thing is to be attentive to your pet and provide him with the best possible conditions of maintenance and care.