Are Guinea Pigs Noisy? (The Honest Truth)

You’re at the pet store, looking at the guinea pigs. They all look so cute and cuddly. But are they noisy? You’ve heard that guinea pigs can be quite loud, and you don’t want a pet that is going to keep you up at night. So, are guinea pigs noisy?

The short answer is yes, guinea pigs are noisy. Whether they’re squeaking for food, chattering in excitement, or grunting in frustration, these little creatures have a variety of sounds that they use to communicate with their owners and each other. Guinea pigs will rumble, chut, whine, wheek, shriek, chirp, click and chatter their teeth. The loudness and frequency of their vocalizations will depend on their temperament.

While some people find these noises cute, others may find them irritating, especially if their guinea pig is particularly chatty.

If you’re thinking about getting a guinea pig, it’s important to be aware of the noise level that you can expect from these furry friends.

Let’s look at the different sounds guinea pigs make and know what they mean. This way you can understand your little cavy just a little bit better, right?

Are Guinea Pigs Noisy?

Yes. Guinea pigs can be considered noisy, especially in relation to their tiny size. Guinea pigs are fairly vocal about their needs and demands. As a general rule, guinea pigs communicate how they feel (and what they want) through different sounds.

Although guinea pigs are noisy pets, they’re not too noisy. They’re moderate vocalists unlike their needs haven’t been immediately met. They’re also more likely to be noisy when they spot you, their owner than in your absence.

The amount of noise guinea pigs makes also depends on their temperament. Many owners usually note that some of their pets are very quiet while others are very loud.

They’ll also let you know when they need something from you. Piggie’s request sound is mainly a “wheek”. There is a wide range of sounds guinea pigs make to communicate their needs and a sound that they ONLY make for humans (more on this later).

Guinea pigs are very social animals and they like to communicate with their owners. They use sounds to do this. Once they get used to you and bond with you, they’ll want to be close to you all the time.

Guinea pigs are louder when they’re:

• Happy
• Excited
• Sad
• In pain
• Hungry

And the sounds they make will change depending on the emotion they’re experiencing. Over time you’ll start to recognize the different sounds your guinea pig makes and what they mean.Now that we know guinea pigs are noisy, let’s find out why they make all these different sounds.

Why Are Guinea Pigs So Loud? 

Guinea pigs will be loud when they need attention, food, anger, grieving, or establishing dominance. They’ll be louder in these cases than they normally would be. Watching their body language as they make loud sounds will help you know the cause of the noise.

Okay, let’s dive a little deeper into the reasons for your little furries sounds, shall we?

Attention

Once guinea pigs have bonded with their owners, they crave attention. When they want your attention, they will make some loud noises. The main noises guinea pigs make when they need attention are;

• Wheeking
• Squealing

You will be able to tell when they want your attention because they will hardly stop until you tend to them. Their call for attention can also sound like they’re excited.

Your little furries could demand your attention so that you cna play with them, and give them treats or food.

Food 

When piggies want food, you can trust that they will let you know. The main sound they make for food is “wheeking”.

It sounds like something close to whistling and can come across as begging. They’re especially loud and impatient, to say the least. They need food and needed it five minutes ago!

These noises could also be accompanied by body language such as;

• Jumping up and down (popcorning)
• Running to the edge of the cage near you
• Chewing the bars on their cage

Angry

Guinea pigs will also make some noises when they’re angry. The main noise guinea pigs make when they’re angry is growling or hissing.

When angry guinea pigs will:

• Chatter – clacking their teeth together.
• Whine – if angry it will be loud.
• Shriek – loud and almost similar to squealing but negative

Your little furry will also make the same sounds if nervous or just annoyed. Accompanying body language is key to deciphering what’s up. Some cavies make angry sounds when picked up.

Angry sounds tend to be short-lived. They’re occasional bursts but die down when your little buddy has calmed down.

Anger can also be due to impatience. Like when you forgot to feed them on time or are taking too long to play with them. Your fuzz spuds don’t like to be kept waiting.

Grieving

Grieving guinea pigs who have lost their bonds and companions will make a soft whiny sound or a sound that very similar to a chirp.

There are different signs that you can look for to tell if your cavy is mourning. These are:

• Refusal to eat for a while. They may reduce the amount of food they take. If they stop eating altogether, you should be concerned.
• Sitting quietly and not looking like their normal happy selves.
• Change in behavior and personality (more subdued)

This’ll show you that your little fur baby is not coping well with the loss of its companion.

Dominance

The rumbling is mainly a sign of dominance establishment in the guinea pigs. It’s commonly accompanied by “rumble strutting”. The rumbling is a deep purring noise that guinea pigs make to decide on their roles in their bonding.

Accompanying behavior when establishing dominance includes;

• Rumble strutting – piggie shifting weight side-to-side while walking
• Puffed up fur
• Some levels of aggression
• Teeth chattering
• Yawning
• Lunging at each other

The rumbling will die down once the dominance has been established. Establishing dominance can take longer especially if none of the piggies back down.

Dominance fights can be pretty serious. In some cases, they need separation when blood is drawn.

How Loud Are Guinea Pigs? (Pet Parents Weigh In) 

Many pet parents have different experiences when it comes to their pets. So I wanted to find out what their experiences are when it comes to noise from their pets.

I manually surveyed 125 guinea pig owners to find out if their little cavies were noisy.

93 respondents (74%)  said that their guinea pigs were noisy.

• For some pet parents, their piggies were only noisy when they were around. They responded to their presence with loud squeaks and even popcorning.
• One parent said that he had only one noisy piggie who quickly taught the others to be just as loud. The piggie was a new addition. He found himself with a noisy bunch from a previously calm group. They do say bad companies spoil good morals.
• For some parents, their little fur babies were pretty loud in demanding attention. They would loudly demand to pet and for their owners to play with them. One pet parent said his little cavy would squeak so loud and calm down when he picked her.
• Most of the noise was also demanding food and treats. Piggies would squeak so loud to let their owners know they existed and needed to be fed immediately.
• One piggie owner said their guinea pig would squeak so loud whenever someone was at the door. He was basically like a guard dog. He was also very chatty and loved when people talked back to him.
• For some parents, their pets would be loud when they were sick and needed treatment. In some cases, it was because of separation. In others, it was because they missed their favorite person, their owner.

32 respondents (26%) said their pets were very calm. They would purr occasionally when they were petted. Otherwise, they were pretty calm…AND QUIET. For some parents, their little pets only squeaked a few times when they knew it was time to be fed.

The consensus among many guinea pig owners is that they’re noisy pets. They love to chat and love to hear their owners chat back.

Here’s a few highlights from my survey:

• Guinea pigs are noisy. They communicate everything from happiness to displeasure.
• Squeaking incessantly isn’t uncommon. Some cavies see they get rewarded with veggies for squeaking so they do it all the time.
• Their body language will tell you if they’re in pain or sick. The noise they make is different as well.
• Guinea pigs love their owners. They tend to be loudest when their pet parents are around to demand their attention. They will associate you with feeding, playing, treats and petting.
• Although chirping is very rare, some guinea pigs actually do it.
• Separation from a bond draws very loud protests from guinea pigs.

As you learn more about guinea pig noises, stay safe in knowing they’re not exactly quiet pets. They will respond to your presence and communicate with you.

In this video, you can learn more about the specific sounds guinea pigs make and what they mean.

What Noises Do Guinea Pigs Make?

There are many sounds and noises that guinea pigs make to communicate their needs. Some sounds are specifically targeted at humans while others are towards each other. Other noises are just expressions of how they feel.

Let’s examine these sounds and what they mean.

Wheek

A wheek sounds similar to a whistle. It’s the high-pitched sound guinea pigs make when they’re excited. This is a sound that is most associated with guinea pigs.

Guinea pigs make this sound when they really want something e.g. food or treats. It can be a show of impatience. Some guinea will wheel incessantly when they know food is near while others will only do it a few times a day.

A wheek is basically “where is my food that was supposed to be here ages ago?”

Chirp

Although rare, guinea pigs chirp. It sounds very similar to the sound birds make. In fact, if you don’t see your little furry making it you might think there is a bird nearby.

It hasn’t yet been established what chirping means within the cavy community. Some pet owners have seen their guinea pigs chirp and then go back to business as usual.

Some guinea pig owners have reported hearing their piggies chirp after the death of a guinea pig cagemate or a human in the house.

Chut

A chut is similar to the clucking sound a mother hen makes. This sound is associated with contentment. It’s basically piggies saying they’re having fun.

Guinea pigs tend to chut when:

• You interact with them
• Towards their cage mates
• Are enjoying the moment
• Are curious and explore their surroundings

Chutting noises are basically guinea pigs enjoying life.

Shriek

A shriek is a high-pitched loud noise that can almost sound like squealing. Sometimes, it can be mistaken for wheeking but the body language will tell a difference.

The sound is less enthusiastic and very loud.  The sound is a sign of pain and fear in your guinea pig. When you hear this sound, make sure to check your guinea pig.

If they have a place to hide, you will notice they will run to hide after making this sound.

Chatter

Chattering is sound guinea pigs make by clicking their teeth together. It’s a fast sound that can almost sound like they’re chilly. They make this sound when they’re annoyed or anxious.

Teeth chattering can be anxiety or impatience as they wait for food. In some more serious cases, it can be a sign of distress.

Teeth chattering due to distress can be caused by:

• Bullying by their cage mates
• Fear or anxiety
• Displeasure with their situation e.g. state of their cage or bedding
• Introduction to other piggies

Chattering is not a positive sign so you should be ready to step in.

Rumble

Rumbling is a deep purring noise made by guinea pigs. There are two main types of rumbling noise guinea pigs make:

• Dominance is commonly accompanied by “rumble strutting”. Rumble strutting is when guinea pigs shift their weight from side to side. This behavior is common when pairs have just been introduced and they’re establishing dominance.
• Guinea pigs also rumble when they’re frozen in place. This can happen when they’re startled and they remain wide-eyed. Rumbling can be a sign of fright before the flight when piggies are scared. Since they’re prey animals, they get scared easily, and sometimes the fear can freeze them in place.

Whine

Whining is a high-pitched negative sound of protest from your little furry. It’s basically “I am not enjoying this.” If you have heard a dog whine, it’s sort of similar just higher pitched.

Piggies who don’t like being picked up can whine whenever it happens.

Whining can also be a sign that your guinea pig is in pain. This could be due to bladder stones or an injury they sustained.

Are Guinea Pigs Noisy At Night?

Yes, guinea pigs are normally noisy at night. Something about being in the darkness of night really makes them playful and loud.

• Guinea pigs aren’t nocturnal animals, so they don’t naturally sleep at night.
• When the lights go out, they think it’s party time! Guinea pigs are social creatures, and they love to play and explore when it’s dark. And they make quite a lot of noise while they’re doing it.
• They may be bored and lonely. If your guinea pig is used to having someone around during the day, they may get lonely at night and start making noise to try and get your attention.

If you’re looking for a quiet pet, a guinea pig is probably not the best choice. But, if you don’t mind a little noise at night, these furry friends can make great companions.

Why Is Guinea Pig Squeaking So Loud?

Guinea pig squeaking is so loud, because it’s such a high pitch. When your guinea pig is excited, happy, or even scared, they will make a high-pitched squeal. This noise is actually quite loud when you hear it in person, and it can be pretty startling – especially if you’re not expecting it.

Final Thoughts About Noisy Guinea Pigs 

Guinea pigs are noisy animals, there’s no denying that. But, even though they’re noisy, they can still make great pets. If you don’t mind a little noise at night, and you’re prepared to deal with it, then a guinea pig might be the perfect pet for you.

They’re very vocal and communicate well. The main sounds piggies make are;

• Wheeking – A sound similar to a whistle. It’s a happy and excited noise.
• Chutting – It’s similar to a mother hen clucking sound. It’s associated with contentment.
• Chirping – sounds like a bird chirp. It’s very rare and not yet known what it means.
• Shrieking – high-pitched squeak mainly due to anger, distress, annoyance, or pain.
• Chattering – It’s a teeth-chattering sound due to discomfort or fear.
• Rumbling – deep purring sound to show dominance or due to extreme fear
• Whining – Similar to whining from a dog only high-pitched. It’s mostly to protest or when in pain.

Bottom line?

Guinea pig sounds always mean something and can help you respond to the needs of your pet. It can also be useful in bonding. Your response to them will encourage them to chatter more.

Do you have a noisy guinea pig? What sounds do they make and what do you think it means? Let me know in the comments below.