Vocalization

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IssaG

Post   » Tue Jun 18, 2019 5:40 pm


Do guinea pigs mimic each other vocally? We'll go back six or so months. Nibbles my American, is the loud one. She does that high pitched squeak we all know when wanting treats and does a hooting/humming thing when excited or stressed. Callie, my Abby, is the quieter one. I didn't realize she had a high pitched squeak until the two were separated and I finally heard it. Callie's is high pitched but very quiet and often lost in Nibbles' loud squeak. She rumbles when she doesn't like something, usually a loud sound or being petted, and the cutest little sound when she is happily exploring during floor time. For the most part though, she's quiet. While Nibbles is squeaking for a treat, Callie has her feet up on the cage pawing at it. Even when she is really mad she doesn't make a sound, she bites. Her bites are a language to themselves as I have learned.

Move forward six months. Nibbles no longer squeaks in that high pitched way. Her feet are up like Callie's and she paws the bars just like Callie. Their cage is in the dining room and there are times I'll be eating dinner and feel that prickle that someone is watching me. I'll look up and there are Nibbles and Callie, staring at me through the cage quietly but intensely.

Note they both can squeal. But now I only hear when they are not pleased about being picked up out of their cage.

So basically Nibbles now behaves like Callie does when she wants treats. It made me curious about how often this happens.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:01 pm


That is quite interesting.

I am guessing your response to their squeaking has something to do with the change. If you responded quickly and positively to requests for treats, I would think they would continue that.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Wed Jun 19, 2019 1:41 am


I've seen guinea pigs mimicking each other. When I first got my piggies, my Abby, Scruffy was always a cage biter. He goes to town chewing on his cage wires for treats and attention. He's never been a wheaker. Mr Bubbles never squeaked loudly. He only squeaked for food, attention or when he's content; and even then it was this quiet little squeak that you could barely hear. Sammy is my wheaker. That little guy wheaks at every little thing. Dean just squeaks normally.

Over the time I've had them, they all have started mimicking each other. Mr Bubbles still doesn't wheak, but he bites the wires on his cage for treats and attention now. Scruffy wheaks now whenever he hears Sammy doing it. The only thing my herd lacks is the ability of all 4 of them to get along in a single cage or enclosure. That's ok. I still enjoy having them all.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Jun 19, 2019 11:11 am


Very interesting!

IssaG

Post   » Wed Jun 19, 2019 5:12 pm


I agree, very interesting Ren. I mean it makes sens that they would mimic each other after spending that much time together but I never expected them to quit squeaking! I never thought about whether we were being more responsive to the cage pawing than the squeaking but I guess NIbbles thought so.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:17 pm


Sammy and Dean have been paired since birth. Mr Bubbles and Scruffy refused to bond, but they've been in side by side butted together cages basically their whole lives. I honestly believe they've learned things from each other. Mr Bubbles spent a lot of time on top of his house, that is until he got too fat to jump up there. That's a behavior that Scruffy learned from watching him. He learned that he can see the whole room from there and he likes that. Mr Bubbles has lost just enough weight to be able to jump onto his house again, but for some reason, he doesn't do it anymore. I'm waiting to see if he starts doing it again.

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