tokyoblues
Junior Guinea Pig
I was petting my guinea pig Ryo and she started making this weird noise... sort of like a cat purring? if that makes any sense. What does that mean? I hope I wasn't hurting her, I was petting her really gently!
She's Making A Funny Noise!
- Thread starter tokyoblues
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If it is a sudden sharp rrrr often connected with a head butt or shake, then it is displeasure. A softer slightly more constant purr has the same meaning as the cat one: pleasure!
AuntyC
Adult Guinea Pig
Hi. I had to take my foster piggy to the vet this morning as his breathing sounded 'creaky', bit like a snuffly baby. He does purr quite a bit when contented, but this was a different sound. The vet gave him a good examination(teeth, heart, lungs, temperature) and said his lungs and upper tract were clear. He has a nice clean nose and is eating, drinking, pooing, weeing fine. I have just read elsewhere on the forums about possible allergies or even asthma in piggies? I will be keeping a very close eye on him, but will now have a hard think about any changes to his cage or household routine! Thanks to everybody who posts such helpful info here XX
MerryPip
Adult Guinea Pig
@AuntyC Sometimes snuffles can be environment related. We had to change bedding when Suilven was little as he got very sneezy and wheezy with hay and shavings so we changed to vet bed with absorbant cage litter underneath. He still got plenty of hay but in a controlled way and he was much less snuffly. Try looking at things around that might be irritating him like bedding type, air freshners, infusers or even smoking. Pets can suffer from the effects of passive smoking just as much as us hoomans!
AuntyC
Adult Guinea Pig
hello MerryPip, and thanks for your reply. Wilbur is bedded on white 'couch roll'(like you see in doctor's surgeries and hospitals!) with fleece blankets and towels laid on top. I change all his bedding each morning and wash it in a little nonbio powder, then wash out his cage with Safe4. He has a mixture of meadow and timothy hay with an occasional handful of readigrass, plus plenty of fresh veggies! He has been with me for nearly three months now, and I can only think that it may be dust or something else that is irritating him as last night, while munching his hay he gave four sharp little coughs as if trying to clear his throat(like we do when something 'goes down the wrong way'). Last night I brought my Hepa air filter downstairs from my bedroom and set it up in the lounge next to his cage to see if that produces an improvement. He seems fine this morning, no odd noises and running about during his floor-time hoovering up his hidden veggies. I do keep a daily diary on his feeding, routine, health checks etc as past of my fostering duties, so may add anything else I do that starts off some snuffling to see is here is a connection. He is due to be returned to the RSPCA on 1st February at the end of my current fostering duty, so I would really like to let them know if I can pin these symptoms down to something definite! Then any new owner can be aware. 
Cheers x- Status