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Guinea pig purring is cute, and we now know why they do it

Bringing home your first guinea pig comes with all sorts of firsts. You get to watch him popcorn (jump up and down), chatter obsessively, and even purr. That’s right, your little guy will sometimes channel his inner cat to express a wide variety of feelings. That requires you to do a bit of sleuthing and determine the cause for his purring, as it won’t necessarily be apparent what he’s trying to communicate. Still, with a little practice, you’ll learn his language. So what does it mean when guinea pigs purr? It all depends on context.

Girl lies in hammock with guinea pig on her lap

Why does my guinea pig make a purring noise?

You’ll get a lot of noises from your piggy, including purring, screaming, wheeking, chutting, hissing, and chattering. Some of these are distinctly good, like wheeking, which means your buddy is anticipating something enjoyable, like a meal. On the flip side, hissing is bad—same with chattering, surprisingly a negative thing. Purring, on the other hand, can signal either happiness and contentment or fear and stress. So you’ll have to determine how your guinea pig is feeling by sussing out what’s going on at the moment and by learning his individual cues.

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Is guinea pig purring good or bad?

Let’s break down those indicators to your piggy’s present mood. The first thing to listen for is pitch. While a low-pitched purr often indicates happiness, a high-pitched note usually means that your buddy is annoyed. Also, listen for whether the sound is a short and clipped noise (bad) or a long and drawn-out, feline-like murmur (good). Unfortunately, you might get either while you pet your piggy, which is why you should also observe his body language. Check if he’s lying down and relaxed or frozen in place, waiting for his escape. It’s not a lot to go on, true, but with a little practice, you’ll get better at picking up on what he’s putting down.

What is my guinea pig telling me when he purrs?

So now you know how to determine whether your guinea pig’s purr is a good thing or a bad thing, but that doesn’t explain what he’s specifically trying to tell you. These small creatures may be prey animals, but sometimes guinea pigs makes this particular sound as a warning to back off. It’s less likely than a hiss to precede a bite, though it can mean that your buddy wants to stop playing. It could also indicate that something is causing your piggy stress, like a change in environment or the presence of a predator animal. Don’t be surprised if you hear a purr when the family dog sneaks into the room (which is part of the reason we recommend keeping these species separate). However, a guinea pig snuggling in your lap who purrs away while drifting in and out of sleep is definitely content. He’s telling you to keep it up.

Two guinea pigs sit in an enclosure and eat hay

How do I know if my guinea pig is happy?

Both wheeking and low-pitched, mellow purring usually indicate that your animal feels great, but you can get even more information from his movements and postures. Anytime you spot your buddy popcorning, he’s ecstatic. You occasionally jump up and down with happiness too, right?

It seems like a lot when you first start to study the sounds that your guinea pig makes—especially for such a small, simple creature. Don’t worry about it too much! While guinea pig language might stump you at first, we bet you will pick up on the vocabulary in no time. The key is to listen closely, paying attention to subtle differences in the pitch and duration of the sound you’re hearing. Pair that with observing your buddy’s body language and being aware of the surroundings and the circumstances at the moment. If a siren is blaring outside or a dog or cat is poking around, you won’t have a lot of trouble figuring out why your piggy is upset. After a month or two, you’ll be a certified guinea pig translator ready to decipher any and all audio and visual cues.

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Here are the reasons why your hamster might be shaking and this is what you should do about it
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It's certainly a terrifying sight to find your hamster shaking. Just as it would sound the alarm if a human were shivering uncontrollably, so, too, should you leap into action with your pet. However, it can be tricky to nail down the exact cause, and a trip to the vet won't hurt if you don't spot an immediate explanation. While illness does lead to the shakes at times, you'll want to look into a few more of the mundane triggers first to rule that out. When you wonder, "Why is my hamster shaking?" look at these options to determine the issue.

Why is my hamster sitting still and shaking?
No one reason applies in every case, so you need to do a bit of detective work. We'll start with the most common reasons — which are also the least scary.
He's frightened
Lots of times when hamsters shake, it's from fear. Things that don't look (or smell) scary to you could set your hamster off with seemingly no notice. Try to perceive the world through the eyes of a small pet to figure out what's troubling him. For example, a dog or cat scent could send him into panic mode even as you struggle to perceive it. Those are his predators! Remove the offending object or beastie and see if he returns to normal.
He went into hibernation
If you can cross fear off the list, think next to the temperature of the room. In the wild, hamsters hibernate, and they'll immediately slip into that mode when it gets too chilly. You most likely don't want your hamster to go down for a long sleep, and it probably isn't safe for him to remain inactive. Maintain a consistent temperature in the room and include a thermometer in or right next to the cage. Select a good area of the house as well that doesn't have too many drafts and isn't too close to a radiator. If you do walk into a freezing room and find your little guy zoned out, return the temp to normal (slowly) to spark him out of his hibernation. There will almost certainly be some shaking during this process, but it's not a concern. Once he gets back to normal, it'll stop. If it doesn't, that means something else is going on. 
It's a medical condition
Hamsters get colds — sometimes lots of them. Examine his physical symptoms aside from the shaking to check for the sniffles. Seriously, he might sneeze and cough and get a runny nose just like you would. While hamster sniffles are a bit cute, the little guys can actually die from colds or other infections. Don't just check his sweet face, though; you also want to monitor his backside and spot diarrhea or other stomach problems quickly (especially wet tail, which kills hamsters in less than 48 hours). The shaking could stem from diabetes, nervous system disorders, or stroke. Pay close attention to all the symptoms as a whole to narrow it down.

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When people think of therapy animals, it's usually smaller pets like dogs, cats, or rabbits that come to mind. But the majestic horse has steadily grown in popularity for use in animal-assisted therapy programs. For example, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl) has 813 member centers worldwide and helps support more than 53,300 men, women, and children with special needs.
What is equine therapy?
Equine therapy or equine-assisted therapy is the use of horses to improve the lives of people struggling with physical or mental challenges. Equine therapy programs are launched with different goals in mind and operated with teams that include licensed therapists, certified equine specialists, and volunteers. Some focus on mental health and may or may not include a horseback riding component while others such as physical and occupational therapy programs center around clients doing physical exercise while sitting on a horse.

How does equine therapy work?
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What types of turtles make for good pets?
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What does your pet turtle need to stay healthy?
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