Guinea Pig Behaviour: What Is My Guinea Pig Trying To Say?

Wouldn’t you love to have a slight clue to what your Pet is trying to say? This thought also applies to small domesticated animals like Guinea Pigs— they too, have their own set of intricate behaviours and personalities. Learning and discerning these body languages can bring about a happier Pet-Owner relationship, greatly reducing the chances of misunderstanding and/or regrettable actions.

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So until an incredible device is built for translating the common tongue for specific Pets, take a look at the following guide with 10 common signs you can read off your Guinea Pigs! To make matters simpler, we have categorized them into two segments, Body Language, and Sounds.

Body Language

1. Staring Into Blank Space — Okay, we all have moments where we daydream, or "space out". You'd notice that our Cavy buddies are experts at that, except for the fact that they aren't really spacing out. As prey animals, keeping their eyes peeled and staying alert is just one crucial key to survival in the wild. 

Fun Fact #1      Guinea Pigs take frequent naps with their eyes opened, So the next time you spot them zoning out, they could actually be catching some Zzz’s!

Video via The Noodle Pups

If you’re fortunate enough to catch your Cavy’s eyelids shut, you should be extremely proud of how far your friendship has come— because this only means your pet Guinea Pig trusts you enough to shut their eyes and he/she is relaxed around your presence ☺

2. Halt Right There! — A common sight for all Guinea Pigs; stopping in their tracks abruptly. This behaviour is most likely due to a sudden noise or unfamiliar movement in the midst of their surroundings. Freezing is your Cavy’s way of going unnoticed, yet another handy prey instinct!

 "Is It Safe Now Buddy?"

Fun Fact #2      Guinea Pigs can recognize and sense danger from Cavy friends around the same area, a sudden stop could be sending a message of eminent or potential threat(s)— leaving a trail of halting Piggies, all at the same time.

3. Running Away — There are two essentials to surviving in wild as preys; if you can’t stay low, you run and hide. The faster you run, the sooner you get to safety. Take some time for your Guinea Pig(s) to familiarize with you, and this behaviour gradually improves as they ease up.

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Hot Tip      For starters, try not to startle them with sudden movements as you try picking them up. Be patient and don’t despair if your Piggies start bolting the minute you come close— that's just a natural reflex J

4. Popcorn — A series of movements similar to that of a Binky (Quick hops and twists) for Rabbits. Well Guinea Pigs are the same! When you see this, know that your pet Guinea Pig is excited and extremely happy about something. All that popping and bouncing around has had this behaviour fondly nicknamed Pop-corning.

5. Licking — Being the fastidious creatures that Guinea Pigs are, most do not require a water bath unless it is absolutely necessary. Self-grooming is carried out by a series of licking throughout the day, a behaviour not unlike Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, Hamsters or any furry Pet. When they do lick YOU however, it is a clear sign of affection— as how they would groom their friends and family.

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6. Rubbing Bottoms — By dragging or rubbing their bottoms on surfaces, Guinea Pigs mark their territories. A pretty adorable and ticklish sight as their scent glands are actually located where their tiny hypothetical tail would have been (they do not have tails!). Excretion of natural oil/grease is how a Guinea Pig leave its scent around. Dirt or oil build up may cause a stench and even lead to infections if left unattended, so be sure to keep their scent glands clean! 

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Hot Tip #2      Love the smell of coconuts? An effective solution for cleaning a Guinea Pig’s scent gland is using Coconut Oil. Leave a small amount on their scent glands to break up the oil or dirt build-up, then clean off gently with a damp towel. Dry thoroughly after!   

7. Heads Up! — Plain observation might bring no explanation to this behaviour, however, studies have shown that this is an act of dominance within a group of Guinea Pigs— the higher your head is elevated, the more respect you are demanding from peers.

Fun Fact #3      This behaviour can also be seen when a male Guinea Pig is trying to display his readiness to mate!

8. Standing On Hind Legs — Higher ground always gives you a better overview or your surroundings, agreed? When Guinea Pigs are standing on their tiny hind legs and sniffing the air, they are trying to pick out the scent of a certain location, all whilst getting a bird’s eye view of its surroundings.

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9. Chewing — Chewing is a huge part in any Guinea Pig's life. They chew on food and toys, which keeps their ever-growing teeth in check. But if you do find your Cavies chewing on their own cages, there's a high chance they're trying to express boredom and the need to be let out!

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Hot Tip #3      Keep your Guinea Pigs entertained by placing sufficient toys and obstacle courses in their homes. When you are home, allocate some free-roaming time outside of their cage/enclosure.

Sounds

  Now that we’ve covered the common basic body language of Guinea Pigs, let’s move on to noises they make!

1. Wheeking — This is no typo error, a pretty well known noise to Cavy owners. Guinea Pigs are actually pretty vocal when expressing themselves, despite being preys in the wild— Wheeking refers to a sound your Guinea Pig may make when they are extremely excited.

Wheeking is mostly heard when they notice you holding out their favourite food, or even as a greeting when you’re home. At times, you may hear soft noises and vibration of their little bodies when you pat them, a sign of comfort and trust.☺

2. Shrieking & Squealing — Sounds not to be mistaken with Wheeking, namely because they mean the complete opposite of one another. Sharp squeals or shrieks, even low rumbling noises is a Guinea Pig’s way of saying “I do not like what you are doing, stop it!” Also another way of warning their fellow Cavies when they sense danger or threat. If you do not sense anything out of the norm, check to be sure your Cavy isn’t hurt anywhere!

And if you do see any baring of teeth, steer clear, because it could mean that it's really angry, or feels really threatened by something. Do not attempt to hold your Guinea Pig at this moment, give them some time to calm down!  

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There you have it, some movements and noises explained for you to better understand and bond with your Guinea Pigs, spend a little more time with them and you'd start to notice all these common behaviours. This time, you'd be pretty well prepared. If you are a first time Cavy owner, perhaps you might want to start off with an American Short Hair. J

Related Articles:

Useful Tips On How To Life Hack For Guinea Pigs

How To Tell If Your Guinea Pig Is Sick?

What Can My Guinea Pig Eat?

Your Stories Can Be Heard Too

Got a tip of your own? We’d love to share them with the world! Your voices are important to us and the Pets community! Our readers are encouraged to share their  Pet-related reviews of a place and its services, experiences, even lifestyle tips and tricks to better our Pets lives, on our platform, one paw at a time. Be a part of an educational and informative Pets community because at ThePetsDialogue, your voices could make a huge difference on a global scale.

Write to us at [email protected] today!

Our website is a work in progress, however, if you did find our articles interesting please do feel free to share! For more Pet care tips and other Pet-related articles, head to www.thepetsdialogue.com ☺

Disclaimer

This article was written with informational purposes, as you know, we’d love to share our collective research and experiences as fellow Pet owners and lovers. It is not meant to alternate in any way as advice or diagnosis of Professionals. 

ThePetsDialogue claims no credit for images posted on this article unless otherwise displayed/stated. All rights go to respective owners as mentioned. If you do not wish for your image(s) to appear here do drop us an e-mail and it will be removed promptly. If you do wish to use any of our original published information, you are welcome to contact us!

Are You A Cat Or Dog Person?: Health And Emotional Benefits, Comparisons And More

The inevitable situation many face whilst on a date or even meeting someone for the first time involves a series of questionnaires and small talk. One controversial and seemingly impartial subject for animal lovers springs into play: 

Are you a Cat person or a Dog person?

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Am I A Cat Or Dog Person, Or Both?

How do you decide? While we may not wish to pick favourites, there are some peeps out there with a definite line, and here's why— If you didn't already know, Dogs and Cats possess their own different personas and vibes as domestic companions.

Cat Person — Though some Dogs may act and Cats and vice versa, in general observations, Dogs have the tendency to yearn for more attention with close proximity that a Cat lover may not be able to withstand. Most Cats are peaceful creatures whom love a nice lounging moment throughout the day, even breeds whom are Dog-like look to you for a cozy laze (think, Lap-Cat).

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"Too much high energy" is often heard as a passing remark when posed with the question "Why do you prefer Cats over Dogs?"

Dog Person — If you love all the fun and activities you can enjoy with a furry companion at almost every single day, you might well be suitable for a Doggo. Even without communication via our language, Dogs require the kind of love and companionship a child thrives on. This is why they are termed A Man's Best Friend.

Cat & Dog Person — Can't decide? You're not on your own. So perhaps statistics and research have proved that Dogs are more well-liked than Cats, but this puts no stop to others whom love them both equally. There's no war here, a Cat or Dog person does not mean you like either any lesser, it ultimately boils down to which individual Pet suits your lifestyle better!  

The expression of love from a Cat and Dog may vary, but all Pets deserve and require equal amounts of love and care. The following listed benefits a Dog and Cat can bring you are all likely to have gone unnoticed by us. 

Wondering what sort of benefits your Dog or Cat are actually bringing you? 

Benefits Of Having A Dog

Health — Most researches were based on Dogs, simply because our Canine pals require daily bouts of walking, to relieve themselves, and get some exercise. The chances of one walking a Cat are low or close to none, and with that the conclusion is tied in with the exercising opportunities owning a Dog can bring. A daily or weekly responsibility is in turn a healthy and rich bonding session, game of fetch, tug-o-war or even a quick stroll serves as a workout, even for you!— also the perfect excuse to get off your bottoms and head out for some fresh air with our Doggos, don't you agree?

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Emotional — As humans most of us thrive on contact and affection from our loved ones. Be it from another human counterpart, or a Pet, people connect and develop deep attachments through our senses. Through tests on the Love Hormones (Oxytocin) as produced by Dogs and Cats, Dogs are reported to be more affectionate than any other choice of Pet.

Aren't you just as surprised to discover that Cats actually produce the very same hormones? This destroys all stereotyped beliefs that Cats generally do not love humans. Certain breeds of Cats are known to be just as affectionate as Dogs.

Fun Fact      Stress reduction and keeping physically active reduces the chances of a Heart-attack.

Benefits Of Having A Cat

Health — Perhaps not all Cats enjoy being on a leash and walked outdoors. But you could enjoy a similar uplifting activity by playing with your Kitties at home! Keeping your Cats physically fit can involve something as simple as prancing and jogging around your home with a feathered toy. While your feline friend is getting healthy body and brain stimulation, so are you!

Emotional — Another interesting study we came across is one conducted by a researcher in Indiana University Bloomington— Based on the amount of Cat related videos and memes going viral everyday, people whom watch them, and why. What this study unraveled proved that watching these funny and/or adorable Cat videos made the average human being more positive and braver to take on future tasks, in a calm state of mind!

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Mysterious and unpredictable? This amps up the amusement a Cat's random antics, don't you think? ☺

A Healthy Pet-Owner Relationship

All Pets deserve unequivocal love and attention. Pet ownership is heavily derived on your willingness to take on the various responsibilities that come with the lives of your companion. Taking their emotional and physical well-being into consideration— such as making sure they are on a good diet and watching their weight is equally important for a long lasting life. 

Related:

Benefits Of Pet Ownership: Top Five Ways Your Pet Affects Your Life

 While they are benefiting you with health and emotional perks, there are ways to watch theirs too!

Like us, nothing good can can be derived from a state of obesity for our Pets. The desire to pamper our Pets with treats can be understandably tempting (stick to healthy or homemade ones), but as always, moderation and balanced physical activities go hand-in-hand. 

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For Dogs — A good start to take them out for more frequent walks or runs together (depending on breed compatibility), and whereas 

For Cats — Providing toys that engages them to be more active (i.e. Cat condos, mobile mouse, feathered stick) will do just fine. 

Quick Tip      A chubby Pet is adorable til no end, but putting their lives in jeopardy is not being responsible at all on our part. Monitor your Pet's diet and get your Pets examined by a trusted Veterinarian from time to time— to ensure your companion is in tip top shape!

Editors' Note

Cultivating an excellent bond with your Cat or Dog takes time and effort. Wise decisions are built on basing your Pet choice(s) through initial interaction and copious research and preparation— Both Dog and Cat personalities and behavioral traits vary in the form of breeds, and their own individual unique quirks! 

You might also be interested in:

Dog Life Hacks: Ten Useful Tips For Every Dog Owner

Life Hacks For Cats: Ten Useful Tips For Every Feline Lover

Can My Dog Eat This?: The Top 10 Dog Friendly Human Foods

Can Cats Eat These Foods?: 7 Cat-Friendly Foods With Nutritional Benefits!

Your Stories Can Be Heard Too

Have YOU got a tip to share? Your voices are important to us and the Pets community! Our readers are encouraged to share their Pet-related reviews of a place and its services, experiences, even lifestyle tips and tricks to better our Pets lives, on our platform, one paw at a time. Be a part of an educational and informative Pets community because at ThePetsDialogue, your voices could make a huge difference on a global scale.

Write to us at [email protected] today!

Our website is a work in progress, however, if you did find our articles interesting please do feel free to share! For more Pet care tips and other Pet-related articles, head to www.thepetsdialogue.com ☺

Disclaimer

This article was written with informational purposes, as you know, we’d love to share our collective research and experiences as fellow Pet owners and lovers. It is not meant to alternate in any way as advice or diagnosis of Professionals.

ThePetsDialogue claims no credit for images posted on this article unless otherwise displayed/stated. All rights go to respective owners as mentioned. If you do not wish for your image(s) to appear here do drop us an e-mail and it will be removed promptly. If you do wish to use any of our original published information, you are welcome to contact us!