Urgent! Strange sound! 😕

[swiss_02]

Hello, hope everyone is having a good day!
I am going straight to the point because I am so nervous and worried. One of my piggies (girl) skye, is making a super weird noise from time to time, I recorded her and I noticed she does it everytime she eats or cleans herself, although she sometimes does it while just laying. I am super worried, this sound sounds like a growl, kinda like a duck and sometimes even an owl if that makes sense. I don't know what that might be! She has been super well, playful, eating, peeing, pooping, from last week to this one she gained 20g, she lives in a right size caged, and as a mate! So what is this sound? Can anyone help me? I am think I am starting to stress this so much! Thank you so much for your help, Sara! I have videos with the sound but the platform isn't letting me upload them ://

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, hope everyone is having a good day!
I am going straight to the point because I am so nervous and worried. One of my piggies (girl) skye, is making a super weird noise from time to time, I recorded her and I noticed she does it everytime she eats or cleans herself, although she sometimes does it while just laying. I am super worried, this sound sounds like a growl, kinda like a duck and sometimes even an owl if that makes sense. I don't know what that might be! She has been super well, playful, eating, peeing, pooping, from last week to this one she gained 20g, she lives in a right size caged, and as a mate! So what is this sound? Can anyone help me? I am think I am starting to stress this so much! Thank you so much for your help, Sara! I have videos with the sound but the platform isn't letting me upload them ://

Hi and welcome!

Unfortunately we do not have a video uploading facililty on the forum. We are running on voluntary member donations and are moderating for free in our free time. The extra bandwidth needed exceeds our financial capabilities.

You can however always upload your video on a public setting on another platform and then copy/paste it into your forum post.

If you have any doubts or worries, please have your piggy vet checked. It sounds like you are describing two different sounds/situations.

 

[miowmix]

Hard to say without hearing recording, but my pigs sometimes make a noise when they are cleaning their belly areas, it's kind of like 4 quick short snuffly noises repeated 3 times. Like this:
hngh-hngh-hngh-hngh
hngh-hngh-hngh-hngh
hngh-hngh-hngh-hngh

 

[swiss_02]

Hi and welcome!

Unfortunately we do not have a video uploading facililty on the forum. We are running on voluntary member donations and are moderating for free in our free time. The extra bandwidth needed exceeds our financial capabilities.

You can however always upload your video on a public setting on another platform and then copy/paste it into your forum post.

If you have any doubts or worries, please have your piggy vet checked. It sounds like you are describing two different sounds/situations.

Oh, I did not know that! Sorry ! I uploaded the videos to my older Twitter account and here they are, maybe like this you can see them? Thank you for your help regardless,

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204532333610766336

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204532492927152131

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204532661034901506

 

[swiss_02]

Hard to say without hearing recording, but my pigs sometimes make a noise when they are cleaning their belly areas, it's kind of like 4 quick short snuffly noises repeated 3 times. Like this:
hngh-hngh-hngh-hngh
hngh-hngh-hngh-hngh
hngh-hngh-hngh-hngh

I uploaded the videos,

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204532333610766336

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204532492927152131

https://twitter.com/x/status/1204532661034901506

do they sound like this? If not, what do you think about this sound? Thank you anyways

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

I can't hear anything worrying apart from a very slight hint of a perhaps slightly stuffy nose when eating. Guinea pig airways are very narrow and small so you can hear any slightest obstruction in them; it usually more noticeable when eating as breathing is more restricted. But it is nothing that a good old sneeze shouldn't cure.

A little grunt when picking up redigested poos (caecotrophs, wich contain the fibre for a second run through the guts) is not at all uncommon and nothing to worry about, especially in middle aged or older piggies that are no longer quite as agile as youngsters.

I hope that that helps you?

 

[swiss_02]

Hi!

I can't hear anything worrying apart from a very slight hint of a perhaps slightly stuffy nose when eating. Guinea pig airways are very narrow and small so you can hear any slightest obstruction in them; it usually more noticeable when eating as breathing is more restricted. But it is nothing that a good old sneeze shouldn't cure.

A little grunt when picking up redigested poos (caecotrophs, wich contain the fibre for a second run through the guts) is not at all uncommon and nothing to worry about, especially in middle aged or older piggies that are no longer quite as agile as youngsters.

I hope that that helps you?

This helps so much I was so relieved I almost shed a tear ahahah really dramatic I know but I was so worried I don't know thank you so much for your help truly! Just one thing, at what point should I see a vet? I mean if this keeps happening for a long time should I go to the vet or anything? For how long should I wait, or is this just natural behavior that comes and go? I don't know if I explained myself well, sorry English is not my first language!

 

[Wiebke]

This helps so much I was so relieved I almost shed a tear ahahah really dramatic I know but I was so worried I don't know thank you so much for your help truly! Just one thing, at what point should I see a vet? I mean if this keeps happening for a long time should I go to the vet or anything? For how long should I wait, or is this just natural behavior that comes and go? I don't know if I explained myself well, sorry English is not my first language!

If you are Swiss, you can explain it to me in German; I am a Swiss native. My school French is however VERY rusty!

I would see a vet if you notice any changes in her wellbeing. As things are, your girl is obviously well in herself and not ill.

Here are some guides that will hopefully help you with working out whether your piggy needs to see a vet or not. I would recommend a yearly vet check for piggies under 4 years and a half-yearly routine health check for any piggies aged above.

Weekly health check at home - you learn first what is normal for your particular piggy and are then able to spot any changes:
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Early Signs Of Illness

Here is a list of health issues and how quickly they should be seen by vet:
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Here is our emergency care information for suddenly very ill guinea pigs:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies

 

[swiss_02]

If you are Swiss, you can explain it to me in German; I am a Swiss native. My school French is however VERY rusty!

I would see a vet if you notice any changes in her wellbeing. As things are, your girl is obviously well in herself and not ill.

Here are some guides that will hopefully help you with working out whether your piggy needs to see a vet or not. I would recommend a yearly vet check for piggies under 4 years and a half-yearly routine health check for any piggies aged above.

Weekly health check at home - you learn first what is normal for your particular piggy and are then able to spot any changes:
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Early Signs Of Illness

Here is a list of health issues and how quickly they should be seen by vet:
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Here is our emergency care information for suddenly very ill guinea pigs:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies

Thank you so much! You were really helpful! Ahah I don't know to talk Swiss German, my nickname between my friends is Swiss therefore the username but thats because I was born in Zurique, but I am portuguese! I was born there but my parents came back to Portugal when I was still a baby anyways, I am really grateful for your help! Thank u so much for helping skye and sharing your knowledge!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much! You were really helpful! Ahah I don't know to talk Swiss German, my nickname between my friends is Swiss therefore the username but thats because I was born in Zurique, but I am portuguese! I was born there but my parents came back to Portugal when I was still a baby anyways, I am really grateful for your help! Thank u so much for helping skye and sharing your knowledge!

Could you please add Portugal to location in your account details (click on your username on the top bar). This will make your country appear with every post you make and allow us to tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are (especially access to piggy savvy vets and different medical brand names etc.) straight away. We can also take the climate into account where this can play into an issue. Our default advice is UK based. Especially as your username is somewhat misleading!

Thank you - that saves both parties time and avoid misunderstandings!