new guinea pig owner

[b.archut21]

hello everyone,
I just recently bought a guinea pig, and found very helpful information on this site. Its so nice to be able to know other people with guinea pigs, and to be able to share stories and questions. =)

 

[PigPandemonium]

Welcome! We would love to see some pigtures of your new piggy!

 

[b.archut21]

Thank you! I will try to get some up soon =)

 

[georgesmom]

Hi
I have been a renewed GP owner for about 8 months now. I had my first GP as a kid and forgot how much fun they can be.

 

[b.archut21]

Hello =) This is my first time. My aunt had one and i really like it. So i figured I would get one. They are fun! I have only had mine for a month and she already eats out of my hands, falls asleep on me, and will even popcorn for me everytime i talk to her or go past her cage. She doesnt purr when being pet though. She just stays still, but as soon as she is back in her cage she gets very vocal again.

 

[pinky]

Hello =) This is my first time. My aunt had one and i really like it. So i figured I would get one. They are fun! I have only had mine for a month and she already eats out of my hands, falls asleep on me, and will even popcorn for me everytime i talk to her or go past her cage. She doesnt purr when being pet though. She just stays still, but as soon as she is back in her cage she gets very vocal again.

It's good that she doesn't purr when you pet her because purring is a sound they make when they're annoyed.

 

[PigPandemonium]

@pinky Really? From everything I've looked at, pigs purr when they like being petted and burr when they don't like a noise or something like that which is close to purring but shorter. Fus will come up to the side of the cage for me to pet her, and will purr while I do, so can run away if she doesn't like it, but she just stays there, even when I take my hand away, she just stays there and wheeks for more attention. Her and Ro Dah also do it when in my lap, and they show no signs at all of being annoyed, they seem to like it a lot, but will get mad if I make them purr too much.

 

[b.archut21]

yea i have heard that purring was good@PigPandemonium. She either is silent and doesnt move or whines. Most the time she spreads out and just falls asleep. So is purring good or bad?

 

[pinky]

@pinky Really? From everything I've looked at, pigs purr when they like being petted and burr when they don't like a noise or something like that which is close to purring but shorter. Fus will come up to the side of the cage for me to pet her, and will purr while I do, so can run away if she doesn't like it, but she just stays there, even when I take my hand away, she just stays there and wheeks for more attention. Her and Ro Dah also do it when in my lap, and they show no signs at all of being annoyed, they seem to like it a lot, but will get mad if I make them purr too much.

My guinea pigs coo when they're pet. They purr if I touch them on their back end or brush their fur the wrong way. They also purr at the others when they're showing dominance.

 

[leesurr]

Welcome! I'm new here, but have owned my pigs for almost a year now! I have found this site very helpful and love all the feedback I've gotten. Just keep an open mind to some suggestions you might get.

 

[b.archut21]

Thank you @leesurr. I will keep that in mind.

 

[joyfulnoise]

@pinky Really? From everything I've looked at, pigs purr when they like being petted and burr when they don't like a noise or something like that which is close to purring but shorter. Fus will come up to the side of the cage for me to pet her, and will purr while I do, so can run away if she doesn't like it, but she just stays there, even when I take my hand away, she just stays there and wheeks for more attention. Her and Ro Dah also do it when in my lap, and they show no signs at all of being annoyed, they seem to like it a lot, but will get mad if I make them purr too much.

Reggie will purr & make little sounds when I reach in his cage to pet him. He likes to lay down and stretch his body to full length. If I am down to eye level to his cage, he will run up and put his face close to mine and make sweet little noises. Usually he is wanting me to pick him up & cuddle him. He will purr like crazy then. When I put him back down he will look up at me then start popping all over the place. Yahoo! Good times. I have had him for about 6 wks. and he has become very loving. He likes to stand on his hind legs when I get home from work, because he knows it is time for a plate of veggies. We have a real nice routine and I think that has helped us to bond and get to know each other better.

 

[b.archut21]

@joyfulnoise I agree that a routine really does help =)

 

[CavyMama]

@pinky is right. Purring is an, "I am annoyed" sound. They do it to other pigs too when they want to be left alone. You might simply be mistaking the cooing of contentment with the purring of annoyance. They can sound similar.

 

[PigPandemonium]

Hm, then I'll have to take a video of Fus and Ro Dah purring, and put it up for you all to see. I swear they don't look like they are annoyed, and Fus will lay down and stretch out while I'm petting her and she is purring, so will Ro Dah sometimes. Fus even comes up to the side wanting to be petted, and when I pet her in the cage, she purrs, but could run away if she was annoyed, or just not come up to the side of the cage again, because she knows I will pet her. xD

 

[joyfulnoise]

Hm, then I'll have to take a video of Fus and Ro Dah purring, and put it up for you all to see. I swear they don't look like they are annoyed, and Fus will lay down and stretch out while I'm petting her and she is purring, so will Ro Dah sometimes. Fus even comes up to the side wanting to be petted, and when I pet her in the cage, she purrs, but could run away if she was annoyed, or just not come up to the side of the cage again, because she knows I will pet her. xD

I would like to see a video of your piggies purring too. I would feel bad if Reggie was annoyed with the attention he is getting instead of happy. He certainly seems pleased to me. Maybe I am just using the wrong adjective to describe the sounds he is making.

 

[b.archut21]

Their sounds are so hard to discern which is what. Like my little girl Jewel Sounds like she is wining but will be all spread out and resting. I am not sure the difference between cooing and whining.