Sounds Chirping Rodents....

I agree! I've always felt that guinea pigs chirp as a warning or a diversion tactic to fool predators. We have a lot of squirrels that hang out in the trees around us. Whenever they're agitated by crows or cats, they start chirping. I didn't even realize it was a squirrel until I saw one making the sound.... and you're right about the chipmunks. I scared one once and it chirped as it tried to run up the downspout on our house.

One of my piggies seems to make it when he's happy. Just today I played a video of a baby guinea wheeking and he started popcorning and chirping. I wanted to get a video but he stopped after a few seconds.

micjmart said:

One of my piggies seems to make it when he's happy. Just today I played a video of a baby guinea wheeking and he started popcorning and chirping. I wanted to get a video but he stopped after a few seconds.

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Popcorning isn't always a sign of happiness. They popcorn when they're reacting to something. He could have been startled by the sound and was popcorning and chirping because it scared him.

Mine have only chirped in the middle of the night. Usually the sound is accompanied by teeth chattering, so I agree it probably isn't a happy noise.

Ferb has never chirped but when I play gp chirping sounds for him he runs into his cuddle sack, puffs up his fur and starts making his durrrrr keep away sound.

Rywen said:

Ferb has never chirped but when I play gp chirping sounds for him he runs into his cuddle sack, puffs up his fur and starts making his durrrrr keep away sound.

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Same thing happens with my pigs.

I think it depends on the pig. I have one that chirps her heart out when it's quiet. At first, she would stop at the least noise. But now, she'll sit on top of her hidey and chirp at me if I'm sitting by the cage. I can even answer her and she'll sometimes keep chirping. Once, they had a chirping duet -- the pig that NEVER chirps joined in, and the two of them chirped for several minutes. They weren't in the least upset or scared. That was the only time I've heard a duet.

bpatters said:

I think it depends on the pig. I have one that chirps her heart out when it's quiet. At first, she would stop at the least noise. But now, she'll sit on top of her hidey and chirp at me if I'm sitting by the cage. I can even answer her and she'll sometimes keep chirping. Once, they had a chirping duet -- the pig that NEVER chirps joined in, and the two of them chirped for several minutes. They weren't in the least upset or scared. That was the only time I've heard a duet.

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All of mine chirped for the first time when they were startled. I had one that seemed to enjoy the sound she made and started chirping a lot for no reason. I think she liked doing it and just kept it up. We could sit right by her and she wouldn't stop. I noticed that her mouth never moved but her throat would vibrate.

I have two that chirp. A female that is 13 weeks old, and one of my adult males. They never seem scared, and it's always in the middle of the night.

@aspecht they are singing you a lullaby!

Rywen said:

@aspecht they are singing you a lullaby!

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LOL! I'll have to tell my husband that when they wake him up again

All of my chirpers chirped for the first time during the night or evening when the lighting was dim. Twinkie chirped after I startled her when I walked into the dining room with the light off. I videotaped her. Juicy Fruit chirped after I separated her and her sister into different cages because she barbered her sister's skin raw. She chirped at night after there was a loud noise and was the one that frequently chirped for the rest of her life. I think she was communicating with her sister. One of my current ones chirped in the evening in the dining room when the light was off. The TV was on and I think the sounds from the TV scared her. I taped her, too.

micjmart said:

One of my piggies seems to make it when he's happy. Just today I played a video of a baby guinea wheeking and he started popcorning and chirping. I wanted to get a video but he stopped after a few seconds.

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My pig chirps in the middle of the night. She seems very happy. If you interrupt her chirping song she starts over. Her chirp song lasts about ten min but if I interrupt her it has lasted up until 20 min. She isn't frozen either. She walks around her gave and sometimes sings in her igloo

pinky said:

Popcorning isn't always a sign of happiness. They popcorn when they're reacting to something. He could have been startled by the sound and was popcorning and chirping because it scared him.

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That would explain why Olivia popcorns big time when I dustbust the poop cup in there cage, which is the only times I see her do that.

piggydaddy1 said:

That would explain why Olivia popcorns big time when I dustbust the poop cup in there cage, which is the only times I see her do that.

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Some of mine popcorn when I vacuum and the vacuum touches the bottom of the cage. I think the vibration scares them.