• PLEASE NOTE - the TEAS facebook page has been hacked, take extreme care when visiting the page, for further information visit here

Nola Making A Low Rumbling Sound At Pikki

nolaandpikki

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 17, 2018
Messages
14
Reaction score
13
Points
155
Location
Cheshire, England
I have two piggies, Nola and Pikki. They're a mother and daughter pair, Nola being the older piggie. Nola has started to make low rumbling sounds towards Pikki, which I know is a sign of dominance. It's a very creepy noise, I think it sounds similar to the Demogorgon from Stranger Things.

What I want to know is if this is normal and fine, or if I need to do something about it.
 
I have two piggies, Nola and Pikki. They're a mother and daughter pair, Nola being the older piggie. Nola has started to make low rumbling sounds towards Pikki, which I know is a sign of dominance. It's a very creepy noise, I think it sounds similar to the Demogorgon from Stranger Things.

What I want to know is if this is normal and fine, or if I need to do something about it.

Hi!
We call it 'rumblestrutting' as it is usually accompanied by shifting the weight between the back legs. It is very common mild dominance behaviour, exphibited by both genders although more often by boars than sows; neutered or not. Sows mostly either rumblestrut when establishing a group hierarchy, when coming into season or experiencing a hormone spikes.

You have to get used to the fact that guinea pigs do not just have squeaks but also a variety of rumbly, ground sounds for their communication, which is much more differentiated than you would expect! Communication includes pheromones, body language and situational context in addition to the sounds piggies make, which is the reason why any guide can only ever be incomplete. Their hearing range reaches higher than ours, too.
We hiumans usually need to take in body language and situational context in order to interpret many similar sounding rumbles, grunts and squeaks, especially at first.

But if it helps you, here is an audio guide that is mostly correct, unlike so many other online ones.
Guinea Pig Sounds

In your case, it is most likely that one of your pair is coming into season.
Sow Behaviour
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
When Sows Experience A Strong Season (videos)
 
Hi!
We call it 'rumblestrutting' as it is usually accompanied by shifting the weight between the back legs. It is very common mild dominance behaviour, exphibited by both genders although more often by boars than sows; neutered or not. Sows mostly either rumblestrut when establishing a group hierarchy, when coming into season or experiencing a hormone spikes.

You have to get used to the fact that guinea pigs do not just have squeaks but also a variety of rumbly, ground sounds for their communication, which is much more differentiated than you would expect! Communication includes pheromones, body language and situational context in addition to the sounds piggies make, which is the reason why any guide can only ever be incomplete. Their hearing range reaches higher than ours, too.
We hiumans usually need to take in body language and situational context in order to interpret many similar sounding rumbles, grunts and squeaks, especially at first.

But if it helps you, here is an audio guide that is mostly correct, unlike so many other online ones.
Guinea Pig Sounds

In your case, it is most likely that one of your pair is coming into season.
Sow Behaviour
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
When Sows Experience A Strong Season (videos)

Thank you! I'll be sure to use this information. Nola rumblestruts when Pikki tries to share a space in their house, when Pikki tries to eat some of the same food Nola is eating and when Pikki is trying to hide behind Nola.
 
Thank you! I'll be sure to use this information. Nola rumblestruts when Pikki tries to share a space in their house, when Pikki tries to eat some of the same food Nola is eating and when Pikki is trying to hide behind Nola.

Nola is simply telling Pikki to remember that she's the boss! ;)
 
Back
Top