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

Scared, but purring?

Alejandro232

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
13
Reaction score
12
Points
75
Location
New York, United States of America
Hey, folks.

I have had two sows for the last 48 hours or so. They will take green peppers and lettuce from my hands but also sometimes suddenly bolt or even just bolt at the sight of me sometimes.

I know that’s not unusual and when they do I usually take it as my cue that they need a little space or that I need to be slower.

The thing is when they bolt into a box or under a pocket at the end of the fleece they immediately start purring, which I had assumed would be something they’d do when they’re content (and not, like, terrified of big-scary-owner-guy).

Am I misinterpreting the purring? Does it mean something else? Some kind of self-soothing?

Would love to hear what you all think.

Thanks.
 
Purring sometimes means dislike or warning. So they’re probably just scared. It’s always best to give them some time to settle in. I’d say wait on the hand feeding for a little while longer. You can cover part of their cage so they have somewhere to go to feel safe and away from ‘prying eyes’. Have a read of the whispering thread, it’s worked for many slaves.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
 
There are two different kind of purring. It can be pretty much down to the owner to determine if it’s a happy purr or a scared/cautious purr based on the context. They also can make a purr sound during rumble-strutting which is dominance behaviour. In this situation, it seems like they’re just scared/cautious. My pigs sometimes make a bad purr when they’re sitting contently, eating food, and I accidentally drop something in the same room and startle them. They’ll dart off and purr, since they feel safe despite their prey instincts kicking in to run for cover, they’ll emerge after a few seconds. A good purr will come sometimes when they get their veggies, or when they’re being pet and enjoying it, or when they’ve been having floortime and asked to be put back in their cage and I oblige.
 
Not sure about the purring but after 3 years mine can still suddenly bolt if I come in the room unless I say "hello piggies" to signal that I'm not a predator. Predators never announce their arrival apparently.
 
Back
Top