Male Guinea Pig Noise (can't Identify)

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Larissa98

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Hi there,
I have a pair of bonded guinea pigs (a female and neutered male). I've have the female for about 8 months, the male for 6, and they get along like siblings - love eachother but have their tiffs every once and a while. Anyways, since I adopted the male, Jos, he has always made some peculiar noise that my female doesn't.
The noise is pretty hard to describe, it like a deep throat noise, like short bursts of hums and mumbles. It'll almost sound like he is talking to the other guinea pig in a whisper rather than a wheek. I can almost compare it to how a dog might mumble woof in their sleep.
I don't know if it is just because I've been focusing on it more these past few weeks, but it seems to me as though it is becoming more frequent. This makes me worry a bit because perhaps it is actually related to his breathing and he is developing an allergy (I've recently closed the windows limiting air flow because it is getting very cool outside). They have their annual appointment in December, so I'm wondering if this is just a special guinea pig communication thing, or if this is actually a concerning thing. His physical health appears to be top-notch. Clear eyes and nose, healthy teeth, steady weight and typical coat.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks
LJ
 
It sounds like rumblestrutting. It's usually accompanied with a motion similar to the way bees waggle dance.
 
Does he also walk slowly swaying his hips a bit? If so, he's 'rumblestrutting'. Boys do it a lot, although sometimes girls do too. It's him telling everyone what an important and manly fellow he is. Enjoy!
 
It's probably what we call rumblestrutting. It is a mild dominance, and in the case of mixed genders, a courting behaviour. Both genders can do the dominance function. There is often a stage when newlywed 'husboars' seem to only communicate in rumblestruts. ;)

Here is a video of two boars of mine showing off against each other; you can hear the rumbling and see some of the strutting.
 
Thanks guys, but it isn't quite rumble strutting. He does rumble strut, and so does my female, but this noise is more slow, almost like muffled, calmer wheeking (it is really hard to describe). It's pretty quiet, and a low tone, so it is really hard to pick up the audio when I try to record it. He will make this noise if he is laying down or walking around, but stop if he is running- but will continue once he has slowed. It isn't constant- he is eating his veg right now and isn't making any noise (but chewing). He is a very chatty guy, and can't even walk past him without him starting up a 'discussion'. I mostly notice the noise at night- because it so quiet the sound stands out. I don't know if he is just being a chatterbox at night and is just being more quite about it, or if this noise is something else.
Thanks!
Lj
 
My Dennis and Christian make a similar noise to rumblestrutting but don't do their sexy bum wiggle to accompany it. It sounds pretty much like what you are describing. They don't do it all the time. Sometimes they do it in response to veg time and other times just cos they feel like it. They also do it when one of the girlies wafting their girly pheromones walk past too.
 
To me it sounds like something scooby does when I have let him have floor time after my younger boars have been out. To me it sounds like frustration.
Its not a rumble strut, but like you described when he's walking normally or still. By any chance does he have an overly active grease gland? Scooby does and my other three boars don't, and they never make this sound. I presumed it was something to do with him being more intrigued with the smell of other boars but not being able to find them making him frustrated.........but I may be overthinking it
 
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