Guinea pigs are well-known as vocal pets since they tend to make a lot of different sounds to tell you what they feel or what they desire at the time. One of the famous sounds that guinea pigs make is known as wheeking, which freaks out many guinea pig owners, especially the newbies.
Wheeking involves high-pitched squealing that may sound alarming and it can happen very often. That is why, as I have said above, many guinea pig owners freak out when they hear this sound from their guinea pigs. However, what is the reason behind this wheeking? Why does your guinea pig wheek so much?
The main reason why your guinea pigs wheek so much is that they want attention from you. They try to get your attention! Aside from that, it also means that your guinea pig is happy or sometimes your guinea pig is just bored and just wants to wheek.
The wheek of guinea pigs has so many reasons why it happens. It can be because they want to get your attention or to show happiness. When your pet guinea pig starts to wheek more than usual, it can be annoying sometimes so be patient.
It is best for you to know why your guinea pig wheek so much so that you will not get annoyed when it happens. Also, it is better to know what your guinea pig says so that you can take care of your pet guinea pig much better. Remember, when your guinea pig wheek so much, it does not mean it tries to annoy you. It is saying something.
Your Guinea Pig Wheek Because It Wants Attention
The loud wheeking your guinea pig produces is so distinctive, which is very hard to ignore since it is loud. It is the sound that exactly your guinea pig is counting on.
If your guinea pig wants attention from you or another guinea pig it will wheek. Attention could be wanted for so many reasons.
Your pet guinea pig could be bored or maybe just want to see or feel your presence. Making noise for attention shows that your guinea pig loves and values you so much. Your guinea pig might also try to get your attention if they want food or they think you are standing up to get them food.
So if you stand up from your couch and it seems like you are getting something for your pet guinea pig, you may hear your guinea pig wheeking so loud.
Let us say, for example, you are watching television and you look at your guinea pig for a moment and stand up, then you suddenly get some chips. You accidentally shake the chips, your guinea pig will wheek because it thinks that you will give him/her some of your chips.
If your guinea pig starts wheeking, sometimes you might find yourself sick of the noise your guinea pig produces, and that is understandable since it is loud. However, remember that your guinea pig might do it because your guinea pig wants to show how much he/she loves you and wants to get your attention.
Your guinea pig cannot walk out of their cage on their own, which is why their only way to call or catch your attention is by wheeking. It is not like dogs or cats that if they miss you, they will just run freely to you. Wheeking or squealing sound is your guinea pig’s only way to grasp your attention.
Your Guinea Pig Wheek Because It Is Happy
The other reason why your guinea pig wheek so much is because they are doing it to show you that they are happy about something. This happiness can sometimes be looked at with anticipation. So your guinea pig might wheek when they see you walking up with some of their food and your guinea pig might also wheek if you spend time with them.
This is just like your dog wagging its tail when it sees you. Dogs usually wag their tail so fast because they are very excited and happy about something. It just means that wheeking can tell you that your guinea pig is very happy and approves of what you are doing and they want to share their happiness with you.
Your guinea pig might be happy because of many reasons. Your guinea pig might be happy because you let him/her out of his/her cage. They can also wheek when you start playing with them, pet them, or when you give your guinea pig a toy that they love.
No matter what the reason is, the happiness of your guinea pig will be made abundantly clear when you hear those happy squeals of joy from them. These happy sounds may also be accompanied by your guinea pig popcorning. When your guinea pig popcorns, they might do a little hop, where all of their four feet move off the ground.
When your guinea pig is popcorning, usually you will notice something from your guinea pig’s face. The face of your guinea pig will also turn in a different direction while doing so. This might be strange, especially for beginners, but your guinea pig is likely very excited and pleased with you when wheeking and popcorning at the same time.
Your Guinea Pig Wheek For No Reason At All
There are some instances where your guinea pig will wheek and you might not be able to identify the cause or reason why your guinea pig does it. Sometimes, your guinea pig just likes to make a lot of noise because some guinea pigs just have noisier personalities than other guinea pigs. Introverted guinea pigs usually don’t make wheek sounds often.
This is something that you can see from other animals as well. For example, some dogs or cats are much more vocal than other dogs or cats. Animals have different personalities too but their instincts are the same.
Some guinea pigs just enjoy being louder than other guinea pigs, which is perfectly fine. If your guinea pig wheek so much and you can’t figure out why your guinea pig wheek, don’t worry about it. Most of the time, wheeking is a sound of excitement and not fear.
Is It Bad If Your Guinea Pig Wheeks A Lot?
Since your guinea pig can wheek so much, it can be concerning when you hear them do it constantly but usually, wheeking is not something you should worry about and should not alarm you.
If your guinea pig is squealing instead of wheeking, you might want to know the reason why your guinea pig does that. Squealing is different from wheeking. Squealing is usually one loud, high-pitched squawking while wheeking is more of a repetitive, loud, chirping sound.
When your guinea pig squeals, it might mean that your guinea pig is in pain. While wheeking, it means that your guinea pig is excited, happy, or seeking attention from you. It is hard to know whether your guinea squeals because of pain or happiness, especially for beginners.
If you notice that your guinea pig is squealing in pain and you can’t identify where the source of that pain is coming from, then this is the best time to bring your guinea pig to the vet. In that way, you will be able to help your guinea pig rule out the pain they are experiencing.
Final Words
To conclude this article, the reason why your guinea pig wheeks so much is because your guinea pig is happy, excited, wants attention from you, and sometimes your guinea pig wheek for no reason at all. Some guinea pigs are more vocal than other guinea pigs. That is why some guinea pigs might wheek more often than other guinea pigs.
