Guinea pigs are just the cutest fur babies! People love them for their soft velvety fur and quirky personalities. They’re definitely a fun pet to keep at home. This is why they’re one of the most common domestic pets all over the world.
Guinea pigs are very entertaining creatures, and they tend to live for many years. What’s more, they don’t take up any space and they’re easy to train.
Guinea pigs express themselves using their voices. They’re very vocal about their feelings. It’s one of their many methods of communication. You could say they’re social butterflies. They’re quite easy to both understand and predict, as long as you’re familiar with their patterns.
Now, you’re probably wondering, “Why does my guinea pig squeak when I pet him?” Read on to find out!
5 Reasons Why Your Guinea Pig Is Squeaking
1 – They’re Happy or Excited
Yes, your little guinea pig has feelings, too. They can be happy, excited, content, or cheerful. And there are so many reasons why your guinea pig could give you such a high-pitched squeak of excitement.
Guinea pigs can recognize their favorite foods. They won’t be able to contain their excitement when you treat them, so they’ll give you a squeak.
They’ll squeak and squeal in happiness once they see you bearing their favorite treats. Try to keep in mind to treat them every once in a while for good behavior or for learning new tricks.
These furry friends also crave their owner’s affection. They’ll release a happy sound when you feed them from your hands, let them climb over you, hold them, or cuddle with them.
This is just like when a dog wags their tail when they see their owner. A guinea pig squeals and squeaks when they see their favorite person.
Isn’t it amazing how your guinea pig can recognize you? The more you spend time with them the more they get attached to you, let them out of their cage as much as you can.
Try to spend at least 30 mins a day with your tiny pet. You’ll hear their happy squeaks even more frequently.
2 – They’re Irritated or Feeling Aggressive
Aggression and agitation are both very common among guinea pigs. They’re easily irritated and will make sure to express their feelings accordingly.
But how can you tell if your guinea pig is feeling agitated? There are so many ways to find out.
Expect a really really high-pitched squeak. Remember their happy squeak? This one is going to be way higher.
Do you know how cats purr when they’re happy? Guinea pigs are the exact opposite of felines. They tend to squeak really loudly and purr when they’re mad.
They’ll also show you their teeth and chatter them as a sign of anger. They also tend to toss their little heads and fidget around their cage.
You should have a clear understanding of why your guinea pig might be throwing a fit. Here’s why your guinea pig might be agitated:
- You’re making them meet another guinea pig, which makes them feel jealous
- They’re fighting with another guinea pig
- They’re mad about something you’re doing, like cutting their nails
- They’re protecting their babies from you petting them
If your guinea pig shows any signs of anger or irritation, try to read more about how you can calm them down.
Once they’re calm and settled, they won’t be squeaking this loud when you pet them again. Instead, it will be a squeak of enjoyment.
3 – They’re in Trouble
As their owner, your pet guinea pig sees you as their safe haven. They find safety and comfort in you being around. They expect you to take care of them and protect them. You’re almost like a parent to them!
They’ll always make sure to squeak to ask you for help. So, whenever they’re in trouble, they’ll make sure to notify you with a squeak.
This means that they could be in some sort of pain. Something is making them feel hurt. This something might be you, in some instances. Are you squeezing them a bit too hard? Are you petting them in an area that’s hurting them?
You need to keep an eye out for such signs, as your pet might be facing a health problem. It could be diarrhea, infections, or urinary issues. If they keep squeaking while you pet them, you might need to consider taking them to the vet.
Are you putting them in a situation that’s making them angry? Are you grabbing them to try to make them meet another pet? Be careful not to do this. They definitely won’t appreciate it!
It could also mean that the other guinea pig in the cage is bullying them. They could be stealing their food.
Guinea pigs are very territorial about their space and their meals. So be sure not to ignore your guinea pigs squeal, they’re only trying to vent their problems to you.
4 – They’re Scared of Something
It’s their nature to be afraid of any possible predator. This includes their owners.
This is why guinea pigs squeak in fear. They’re trying to grab your attention and tell you that they’re in danger.
This is very common among different species of animals. You need to earn your guinea pigs’ trust before they can let you pet them.
Give them some time to adjust. Don’t just pull them out of their cage on the first day you get them.
A new home or cage is something that scares them. Just like a kitten or a puppy takes a few days to get used to their new setting.
What you can do is reach your hand into their cage. Give them the freedom to smell you and sit on your hand.
This will help them get familiar with you. Little by little, they’ll stop squeaking in fear when you hold them.
Instead, they’ll start giving you a happy high-pitched squeak. They’ll be excited to spend time with you.
5 – They’re Relaxed
If you hit just the right spot while petting your guinea pig, you’ll hear a soft squeak of relaxation.
This means they’re enjoying your petting session. It also means that you truly understand just where and when they like to be petted.
When this happens, consider yourself lucky, as you have a solid relationship with your furry friend. Throw in some smooth music during your petting time, they’ll love you for it.
A squeak of destress is the best squeak you could get from your little one. Try to induce it as much as you can.
How to Get Your Guinea Pig to Squeak Out of Happiness
After you gained your guinea pig’s trust, you now understand exactly why they squeak. Like other furry pets, guinea pigs have preferences as to where they like being petted. Yet, don’t forget to be as careful and as gentle as you possibly can.
Petting a guinea pig should be easy. Here’s a quick guide:
- Show them that you’re going to start petting them. Don’t surprise them with a petting session out of nowhere. This will only startle them.
- Let them enjoy the petting time. If your guinea pig doesn’t feel like being petted at the moment, give them their freedom. Come back another time.
- Pet with the fur, not against it. If you rub a guinea pig against the direction of their fur it could be uncomfortable for them.
- Give them the choice to stop your session. If they try to walk away, let them be. Don’t bother them.
- Go for the head. You’ll get to see for yourself how much they like being petted on their little heads.
- Go for the area under their chins. They like being petted there, too.
- Avoid their legs at all costs. They hate it when you touch them there.
- Listen to your guinea pig. They’ll make sure to be vocal about what they like and what they don’t like.
Manage to follow all these steps successfully. You’ll see instant results. Your guinea pig won’t squeak in agony or irritation anymore.
Final Thoughts
Guinea pigs are peculiar little creatures with an impressive array of emotions. Every squeak has a meaning. You should know that guinea pigs have different personalities, which means that not all guinea pigs will squeak for the exact same reasons.
Reasons why your guinea pig squeaks include happiness or excitement, irritation or anger, fear, and relaxation.
If your guinea pig doesn’t squeak out of happiness when they see you, don’t worry. They just need some time to get used to you.
Always listen to them. They’ll always make sure to voice their concerns to you. Shower them with affection, they’ll do the same for you.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house. Growing up, I had pet dogs, cats, deer, sugar gliders, chinchillas, a bird, chickens, fish, and a goat.