Blog – Page 14 – Pocket Sized Pets

Guinea pigs are known to make a lot of different sounds to tell you how they’re feeling or what they may want at the time. And one of the most distinctive sounds that a guinea pig can make is known as wheeking. This involves high-pitched squealing that may sound alarming and it can happen often, so why do guinea pigs wheek so much? The main reasons why a guinea pig can wheek so much are because they want attention from you, they're feeling happy, and sometimes they just wheek for no reason at all. So guinea pigs can wheek for many reasons, ranging from wanting to get your attention to showing happiness. When guinea pigs start wheeking more often than they usually do, it can be annoying to some. However, knowing what it is that your guinea pig is trying to say will help you to better care for your furry friend. Remember that your guinea pig isn't trying to annoy you, they’re just trying to communicate. Guinea Pigs Will Wheek For Attention The loud wheeking sounds are so distinctive that it's hard to ignore, and that's exactly what your guinea pig is counting on. Your guinea pig will wheek for attention because it works. Attention could be wanted for all sorts of reasons. Your guinea pig could be bored, or maybe they just want to see you near them. Making noise for attention shows that your guinea pig values you. Your guinea pig could also be trying to get your attention because they think that you're getting food. So if you've just done something that sounds like you are giving food or a treat to your pet, you may hear some high-pitched wheeking. For example, you could bump a bag that sounds like food and find yourself suddenly serenaded with the sound of your guinea pigs wheeking for a bite, whether it's mealtime or not. If your guinea pigs start wheeking, sometimes you might find yourself sick of the noise that they’re making, and that’s understandable. Many people are annoyed when their furry friends start wheeking for things left and right. However, remember that your guinea pig is doing this because they love you and because they want to be able to get your attention. You are a valuable resource to your guinea pig, and unlike a dog or other pets that are able to roam freely and can just walk up to you when they want your attention, your guinea pig has to get you to come to them. And this can be done through those squeals and wheeking sounds in an attempt to get your attention. Guinea Pigs Will Wheek When They're Happy Another reason why guinea pigs wheek so much is because they’re doing it to show that they’re happy about something. This happiness can sometimes be looked at as anticipation. So they might wheek when they see you walking up with some of their food and they can also do it when you’re spending time with them as well. This sound is sometimes just like when a dog wags its tail out of excitement, or when people give a thumbs up as a sign of approval. So wheeking can tell you that your guinea pig approves of what you are doing and that they want to share that happiness with you. Your guinea pig might be happy that you have let them out of their cage. They can also begin to wheek when you start playing with them, petting them, or when you give them a cuddly toy. No matter what the reason is, their happiness will be made abundantly clear when you hear those happy squeals of joy. These happy wheeks may also be accompanied by your guinea pig popcorning. When your guinea pig popcorns, they will do a little hop, where all four feet move off of the ground. Usually, you'll notice that during the popcorning, your guinea pig will also turn to face a different direction while doing so. This might look a bit strange, but your guinea pig is likely very excited and pleased with you when wheeking and popcorning at the same time. Guinea Pigs Will Wheek For No Reason At All There are some situations where guinea pigs will wheek and you might not be able to figure out the reason why they’re doing it. Sometimes, they just like to make a lot of noise because some guinea pigs just have noisier personalities than others. This is something that you can see in other animals as well. For example, some dogs are much more vocal while other dogs might just enjoy being quiet. So some guinea pigs just enjoy being louder than others and that’s perfectly fine. If your guinea pig is wheeking and you can't figure out why then try not to worry about it too much. Most of the time it's probably not a big deal because wheeking is a sound of excitement rather than fear. Should You Be Concerned If Your Guinea Pig Wheeks A Lot? Because guinea pigs can wheek so much it can be concerning when you hear them do it sometimes, but usually it’s not the wheeking that should alarm you. If your guinea pig is squealing instead of wheeking, you may want to try to figure out the reason why they’re doing that. Squealing is usually one loud, high-pitched squeak while wheeking is more of a repetitive, loud, chirping sound. A squeal can sometimes mean that they’re in pain while wheeking can mean that they’re attention-seeking or happy. Sometimes, it's easy to know whether your guinea pig is in pain while other times, it can be harder to tell. So if you notice that your guinea pig is squealing in pain and you can't quite figure out where the source of that pain is coming from, then it's a good idea to take your pet to the vet. That way they'll be able to help rule out anything that you might not be able to see. You can also speak to an online vet if you think that they’re squealing for another reason besides being in pain as well. Keep in mind that guinea pigs are social animals so they want to interact with other people as well as other guinea pigs. Sometimes, that interaction includes making sounds such as wheeking. If you get guinea pigs, one of the things that you accept is the fact that most will wheek at you. This is really no different than a dog barking or a cat meowing. So if you notice that your guinea pig is wheeking often, the best thing that you can do is learn to live with it and enjoy it for what it is, a sign that they’re happy and possibly want your attention.