In my opinion guinea pigs are great little pets. They have such characters and I think if they could talk then they would! They communicate with other guinea pigs and us in a range of different ways. Have you ever noticed your guinea pig making sounds or vibrating? Believe it or not they do, they also purr, a bit like a cat and it can mean different things. But why do guinea pigs vibrate and what does it mean?
Guinea pig body language
I think you can tell a lot from how a guinea pig behaves from its body language and certain noises it makes. When you first have a guinea, it will be hard to tell how they’re feeling. Guinea pigs like to hide so don’t worry if when you first bring them home all they want to do for a few weeks is hide. This is a natural instinct. Once they learn that you’re the person that feeds them and brings them treats just wants to cuddle them then they will be a lot happier when you are around. It is always a good idea to pay attention to their body language, it can show if they are happy, scared or unwell. It will take time to figure them out, though as they all have their own personalities.
Do guinea pigs vibrate?
Yes! You may notice when you stroke your guinea pig it may start vibrating. A vibrating guinea pig can mean a few things. It can mean that they are happy, angry, threatened, stressed or cold. Once you understand your guinea pigs behaviour more you’ll begin to notice if this is a positive or negative mood.
Why does a guinea pig vibrate?
A sign your guinea pig is happy
A guinea pig can vibrate and purr when it is happy. These are often short bursts of vibrations that can be felt when holding them. Along with this they usually also produce a high-pitched squeak. They tend to do this when they are enjoying a groom or a fuss. If they hear you coming with a bag of treats or some fresh hay, they may also display this. If they are very happy, they can lie down stretched out, which also shows how relaxed they are and happy with you being around them. This is all very similar to a cat’s behaviour, scratching a cat under the chin or behind its ear can make them purr as they enjoy it. Very similar to our guinea pigs.
A sign your guinea pig is angry, threatened and stressed
These are all very similar communications amongst guinea pigs. To determine which one of the three, it will depend on the situation they are in. An angry guinea pig could be one that’s waiting for food, or isn’t liking being handled. A threatened situation could involve another guinea pig if they aren’t getting on, or if another species like a cat or dog is prowling around the cage and scaring them. When a guinea pig is feeling any of these emotions they still vibrate, and this vibration is visible without having to touch them. They can also have a low pitch purr. Their body language is often tense and hunched up.
To try to help stop this, we need to keep them in a safe area, away from any predators. Avoid over handling and grooming them until they are used to you – little and often is usually the key. Feed them on time, too! Everyone likes a routine. Remove them from anywhere with loud noises.
Coldness and vibration in guinea pigs
Some people bathe guinea pigs – generally, they don’t really need bathing, but if you do then always make sure they are dried properly. Provide them with a warm heat pad (pet friendly and covered in a towel or similar to prevent burns, of course) to also keep warm. A cold guinea pig will vibrate and shiver a lot. They may also be doing this because they aren’t enjoying having a bath! If they are wrapped up and warming up, they may be vibrating because they are enjoying their bath and groom, it is one of those situations you have to assess at the time. Guinea pigs that are kept outside may start vibrating if they are left in freezing temperatures without plenty of bedding. Always try to provide plenty of bedding or bring them inside. They would really appreciate that.
Mating and guinea pig vibration
When we put a male near a female the male may start vibrating, purring and pacing. This is because they want to show off! If two females are put in together, they may also display vibrations as a sign of dominance, this can be the same with two males. We are always going to have one dominant one, and this is fine, but just make sure there isn’t any hair plucking or injuries whilst they are together.
Conclusion
So, by watching our guinea pigs behaviour we can tell a lot. We want happy guinea pigs and as they do make lovely pets it’s so important to make sure they are happy. Along with vibrations they make other sounds and have other little moves like pop-corning which show they are happy and excited. A happy guinea pig will begin to recognise you for positive things when they get used to you and will begin to communicate with you by squeaking and vibrating. There is a lot to look out for when owning a guinea pig when it comes to behaviour. They have great little characters and a lot about them to enjoy.
These cute little guys make people feel good. If you are not allowed to keep guinea pigs, but you like them very much, why don’t you customize some guinea pig custom lapel pins? Such cute guinea pig pins can not only decorate your backpack, clothes, etc. but also be a good choice to give to friends who also like animals. I think no one will refuse such a cute guinea pig!
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