Your Guinea Pig’s Special Language

Believe it or not, guinea pigs do have their own language. They tell us a great deal with their behaviors, but if you can understand your guinea pig’s actual language, you will be better able to care for him and keep him happy. Understanding exactly what he is saying ‘word for word’ is not theoretically possible. However, you can understand what certain sounds mean.

Your guinea pig may make murmuring sounds, gurgle, or even grunt. This means that he is comfortable and content. A grunt may also be a friendly greeting. You may have to pay close attention to the sounds to be able to distinguish between a grunt and a growl.

There is a definite difference, but you will need to hear both sounds to distinguish between the two. Growling, of course, would usually mean that your pet is angry, but this isn’t the case with guinea pigs. A growling guinea pig is either scared, or he is trying to offer peace
to a human, or another animal. Growling, grunting, or rattling are also the sounds that mating males make.

So, if your guinea pig doesn’t growl when he is angry, how does he express anger? He does this with hissing noises, rattling noises, or with teeth chattering. All of these are a sign of aggression, but he could also be trying to impress another animal, thinking that his sounds bring about respect and fear.

Squeaking is something that your guinea pig will do often. This sound can mean many different things, but if you listen closely, you will notice that there is a difference in squeaks. The difference is often in the pitch or length of the squeaks. Squeaks can indicate
loneliness, pain, or fear, but may also be heard when your guinea pig is begging for food, or when he knows that you are preparing his food.

A squeak may be nothing more than a pout. This happens when another guinea pig has something that the squeaking guinea pig wants. This may be food, or a certain nap spot. A high pitched squeak usually involves food, but it could also be an indication that the guinea pig has suddenly hurt himself.

A cooing guinea pig is a pleasant sound, as it well should be. It means that your guinea pig is calm and content. A guinea pig may also coo to another to offer comfort or support. Chirping, which resembles a bird chirping, is another common sound.

Unfortunately, nobody really understands what chirping means, although most will agree that it does not mean that the guinea pig is happy. The consensus is that chirping indicates that the guinea pig is confused, even lost perhaps.

There is no specific guide that you can use to communicate with your guinea pig. For the most part, you really do have to watch and listen and before long, you will know what all of his sounds and pitches mean.