Why Does Missy Keep Chirping?

[Liane]

One of my piggies, Missy, keeps chirping like a bird (like really like a bird). I've read conflicting ideas about what chirping means, and whether it's good or bad.

I've only ever heard it twice before Missy started - once was when we got River as a baby and she was missing the others she had been with, and the second was when of my piggies passed away, so both were sad occasions. But Missy doesn't seem sad, and I don't know what she'd be sad about. She's not lonely or excluded from the group, and our last piggy died eight months ago. She's quite a happy, vocal piggy.

She does it quite late at night, roughly 10-11pm and it is very loud. She was sitting with the others when she was doing it last night and didn't seem distressed, and they'd had a pretty big meal about 3 hrs previously so she couldn't have been hungry (plus it wasn't a FEED ME noise, it was chirping)

 

[sport_billy]

No one knows really. We have had chirps in the past but only occasional. We do however have a regular chirper in Widget maybe every 3 months she will do it, sometimes really quietly. She will start for no reason, one minute she is eating next she is sitting there whistling. She has been in no distress before hand and carries on as normal afterwards. It is one of those mysteries, but I honestly don't think it is cause for concern. Missy maybe just likes to sing

When Missy does it do the other piggies watch her? Ours go all quiet and still when Widget does it

 

[Liane]

When Missy does it do the other piggies watch her? Ours go all quiet and still when Widget does it

Dad managed to have a look without disturbing her, and he said they were all gathered round her - I suggested she was doing a little performance

I'm just a bit concerned because, as I said, I've only ever heard it in sad circumstances! Plus we recently found a lump on Missy, which Simon doesn't believe is sinister, but I guess I'm just a worrier!

 

[sport_billy]

Dad managed to have a look without disturbing her, and he said they were all gathered round her - I suggested she was doing a little performance

I'm just a bit concerned because, as I said, I've only ever heard it in sad circumstances! Plus we recently found a lump on Missy, which Simon doesn't believe is sinister, but I guess I'm just a worrier!

It's natural to be worried. But it isn't a response to pain or anything like that so try not to worry. Simon? Northampton vet? He is one of the best out there so that should help put your mind at rest.

 

[Liane]

It's natural to be worried. But it isn't a response to pain or anything like that so try not to worry. Simon? Northampton vet? He is one of the best out there so that should help put your mind at rest.

Yes, he's fantastic! He was very thorough with her, and he knows I'm a worrier!

I wish I could ask Missy why she's doing it

 

[Freela]

My understanding is that it's really unknown why guinea pigs chirp... I've heard it a few times over the years. In cases with my pigs, there was nothing special going on, either happy or sad, to provoke it. It also seemed to happen in clusters... I would catch them chirping away three times in a month, and then not hear it again for years.

 

[Wiebke]

One of my piggies, Missy, keeps chirping like a bird (like really like a bird). I've read conflicting ideas about what chirping means, and whether it's good or bad.

I've only ever heard it twice before Missy started - once was when we got River as a baby and she was missing the others she had been with, and the second was when of my piggies passed away, so both were sad occasions. But Missy doesn't seem sad, and I don't know what she'd be sad about. She's not lonely or excluded from the group, and our last piggy died eight months ago. She's quite a happy, vocal piggy.

She does it quite late at night, roughly 10-11pm and it is very loud. She was sitting with the others when she was doing it last night and didn't seem distressed, and they'd had a pretty big meal about 3 hrs previously so she couldn't have been hungry (plus it wasn't a FEED ME noise, it was chirping)

Hi! Chirping is the great mystery, and so far none of the explanations have covered the whole range. Chirping often happens in the night hours when all is quiet. You can have lots of piggies for years and never hear it, and then you get a chirper and hear it quite regularly. 80-90% of the chirping I've ever heard is due to one of my piggies.
Stress can be a contributing factor, but it does by not cover all situations.