Guinea Pig At Night

[emily gibbons]

My guinea pig is making lot of noise during the night. He'll run round his cage and chirp. Does anyone know of anyway I can calm him down? Thanks

 

[Lorcan]

Does he have a companion?

 

[Critter]

The chirping is a mystery, if it's the chirping I'm thinking of anyhow... there's some debate and theories and people observe different patterns associated with the chirping, so there's not a definite 'thing' to define why they do this, but often it's a phase. Some say it's a sign of stress, others say not at all, could be hormonal, yet others have observed behaviour that disputes this.

I second @Lorcan's question. I have wondered myself if it's a kind of call for others, but when mine have chirped no-one's responded in anyway that's audible to my ears...

 

[emily gibbons]

It's mostly just running around. Does anyone know why they do that? And no he doesn't have a friend. I work at a pet store and he didn't do to well with other guinea pig in his cage but was fine with other people.

 

[Critter]

It's hard to say. When you say night do you mean the evening or the dead of night? I ask because they are often more active in the evenings and morning times, but more on and off throughout mid-day and the depth of the night. It can be:

His age - young ones tend to get the 'zoomies' and rush around to burn off energy. It's like they are overcome with the urge to burn off steam and zoom and zoom back and forth, round and round. It's not necessarily a night time thing, just a 'thing'.

Frustration - I'm not saying this for you to feel bad about taking him in on his own, I think you did a good thing for him being as he wasn't happy with his cage mate, but some can get frustrated about being on their own and restless, even if they were not happy before, whilst others can get depressed and huddle in a corner, and others still just get on with things in a quite a normal piggy-way. Though I do think most frustrated-restless piggies don't tend to show it by running around fast!
If you feel he is lonely you could try a rescue to help pair him up - basically our list of recommended rescues should be able to help out with a bonding session to ensure that he finds a partner that he does get on with, not some random pig that stresses him out all over again! Another option is neutering and pairing up with a sow, an op carries risks of course but there's also a list of recommended vets, and whilst there is never a 100% certainty, most ops go well. Again he would be best off with a dating session to ensure compatibility. The right pairing can be bliss!

Nerves - If something spooks him while out he may be making a mad dash for shelter (or is his running more prolonged than that?)

I still think the chirp may hold a key - if only we could figure out what the chip means.....

My money is on the zoomies! It's no bad thing when they do this....

 

[BlueBird]

My guinea pig is making lot of noise during the night. He'll run round his cage and chirp. Does anyone know of anyway I can calm him down? Thanks

I would bet it's because he's bored/ lonely or both. As others have said, he is probably full of pent-up energy and just needs to work it off. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for a friend when it comes to loneliness and boredom. I know first hand what a difference it makes to their lives and they are actually pretty good at hiding their loneliness. You only notice the difference when they aren't lonely anymore.

I know you said he doesn't get on with other pigs but failed introductions tend to be because they are done way too quickly. Lets face it. If you were just taken to some random person's house to live with them without warning. They'd probably not be very welcoming either. Pigs are exactly the same. Sometimes you meet someone and immediately get on like a house on fire, sometimes it takes time to get used to someone. Getting your pig will definitely cure his boredom. There is many good articles on this site about piggy dating and bonding boars. But you can always take him piggy dating at a good rescue and they will do it for you.

 

[Freela]

It's mostly just running around. Does anyone know why they do that? And no he doesn't have a friend. I work at a pet store and he didn't do to well with other guinea pig in his cage but was fine with other people.

Especially if he's young, he probably just has energy and needs to get it out. Young guinea pigs tend to run around just for the fun of it, just like little kids. They mellow out as they get older. Though at age 2, one of my pigs will still run in laps around the hallway every evening. She tries to entice her cagemate to run with her, but at almost 7, the other pig has no desire to run around like a maniac. Is he keeping you up at night? One of our pigs had a cage in my room at one point when she was a baby in quarantine, and between her running around, eating, and clicking the water bottle, she definitely kept me up at night. Fortunately in our case it was a short-term situation before she moved in with another guinea pig on a different floor.

 

[Redribbon]

My new babies share my bedroom at the moment and I've had them less than a week. Already, there seems to be a 3am habit of top speed laps around the enclosure with lots of chit chat. I guess this is the time they feel safest and the big ogre (me) isn't looming over them! They sound happy and seem to trigger each other off.

 

[Tiamolly123]

I'm of the opinion, the same as the others, she needs a mate. I suspect she had friends in her pet shop/rescue. Then you take her away & put her in a cage alone. Nobody to share her zoomies & talk to her in their own language. I think I speak for many people on the forum a guinea pig should never be alone. The rescues will bond them for you, so you don't have the worry of bonding.
1 tip I have is never look at them from them above, that makes you a predator come down to there level. Or as near as possible.