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Chirping...

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Hi all,

Most mornings I get woken up by a strange noise coming from one of my girls. The only way I can describe it is it's like she has the hiccups, or it's a like a baby bird cheeping a contant cheep over and over again. Not a bird song, just the same noise repeated!

Unfortunaltely it is normally early in the morning, and I am too sleepy to properly wake up and listen to it, or find out which one it is.

Does this sound like she could be singing? I have listened to what it sounds like online, but I am sure it's not the "singing bird" sound I am hearing, defo more of a cheep/hiccup!

Can anyone tell me what this is, or if you have heard it?

Thank you
Alex
 
Thank you! I hope she is singing to me, well actually, she is more than likely singing for her breakfast!

Thank Katiepops, I can't watch vids at work, but I will watch it at home later. :)
 
I have a chirper too, but I don't like it at all! It seem more upset/manic than happy to me...

Also, when I hear it it's usually been a bit turbulent in the cage with seasons and dominance shows...
 
I have a chirper too, but I don't like it at all! It seem more upset/manic than happy to me...

Also, when I hear it it's usually been a bit turbulent in the cage with seasons and dominance shows...

Awww, the only reason I don't like it as it wakes me up! And yes it does sound like she's crying! I do think there is a bit of commotion going on this week, as this morning there were loooong rumbles and my dominant sow had, what I call, her hackles up around her neck to make her look bigger! Never any fighting though - just rumbles, hackles and singing.

Funny creatures aren't they! rolleyes
 
Wo! Lucky you. Here's a quote from the GP Encyclopaedia by Myra Mahoney:

"This last sound is legendary in the fancy, and no-one seems able to give a reason for it. Anyone keeping just a few pets will probably never hear it, and in over 40 years I have heard it no more than a dozen times..... The piece is suddenly shattered by a bird-like cheeping, all on one note and getting louder and louder.....all the others are flattened on the floor with wide eyes, while the singer is upright with his neck stretched and sometimes with one or both front feet lifted... The chirper is nearly always an adolescent boar..."

(The mini encyclopedia of guinea pigs, myra mahoney, interpet publishing, 2010)

Hope that helps :)
 
Wo! Lucky you. Here's a quote from the GP Encyclopaedia by Myra Mahoney:

"This last sound is legendary in the fancy, and no-one seems able to give a reason for it. Anyone keeping just a few pets will probably never hear it, and in over 40 years I have heard it no more than a dozen times..... The piece is suddenly shattered by a bird-like cheeping, all on one note and getting louder and louder.....all the others are flattened on the floor with wide eyes, while the singer is upright with his neck stretched and sometimes with one or both front feet lifted... The chirper is nearly always an adolescent boar..."

(The mini encyclopedia of guinea pigs, myra mahoney, interpet publishing, 2010)

Hope that helps :)

Thank you, that's great. I am going to make myself wake up properly and sit up next time I hear it, to have a look if I can spot any of the above!

Thanks again!
 
I have a chirper too, but I don't like it at all! It seem more upset/manic than happy to me...

Also, when I hear it it's usually been a bit turbulent in the cage with seasons and dominance shows...

I wonder if its because they are upset as well. When romeo did it, he'd had a bath which had terrified him earlier in the night. Also the other pigs seem to fear that noise.
 
I wonder if its because they are upset as well. When romeo did it, he'd had a bath which had terrified him earlier in the night. Also the other pigs seem to fear that noise.

It could be something like that. Myra Mahoney goes on to say:

"...my theory is that he is experiencing a latent urge to voice the alarm call used by his ancestors thousands of years ago... I call it the sentinal sound".
 
Hehe, I just played the vid in my room and the girls started looking around trying to find the chirping pig :)) How sweet. I wish I had a chirper :(
 
I went outside late one night last year and heard one of my girls chirping. I only had 2 guinea pigs at the time. Of course, when I got closer to the hutch, the culprit went quiet. It was either Eleanor or Eliza but I haven't heard it since.
 
I put a video up last week in stories and photos of one of my lot chirping. Its dark so you can't see anything but you can hear ir :))
 
My Felix chirps aswell! He isn't regular about it though, but it is always in the evening if it does happen. It makes me uncomfortable too, I always think something is wrong because I have read about that 'raising the alarm' thing.

It is really hard to distract him though once he gets going. It's like he is in a trance.
 
My Felix chirps aswell! He isn't regular about it though, but it is always in the evening if it does happen. It makes me uncomfortable too, I always think something is wrong because I have read about that 'raising the alarm' thing.

It is really hard to distract him though once he gets going. It's like he is in a trance.

I agree, they could have picked a nicer sound to do!
 
I put a video up last week in stories and photos of one of my lot chirping. Its dark so you can't see anything but you can hear ir :))

Thanks, I just watched/listened to your vid. I am still unsure if my piggie is doing that noise, she seems to do it lower and slower. I will have to have a proper listen one morning!
 
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