Cavy/Human Communication

Charybdis

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 1:50 am


Have more money, for one thing.

User avatar
salana
GL is Just Peachy

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:52 am


Doom was definitely extremely into communicating with me. He would have long conversations with me. ("Doom, what do you think about X?" "Wheep wheep wheep!" "Oh really?" "Wheep WHEEP wheep wheep wheep WHEEP!!!" "No, I don't agree in the slightest." "WHEEP WHEEP WHEEP WHEEP!!!" "Well surely you have to admit that such-and-such." "WHEEP WHEEP (*&^%(#*$& WHEEP &#@^$*@#&$!!!!!!") We'd take turns talking and he'd pick up on my tone of voice. He'd be louder and more insistent if I was disagreeing with him, and make calmer noises and look happier if I was praising him. He knew a bunch of words (his name, his brother's name, probably "Suzi" and "Cuddles" and "Jackie" and "Einstein" as well as "hay", "stop", "Hitler", "hamster", and "pig") and would respond to them appropriately (looking at or going to another pig, making his hungry noise for "hay", pretending to stop what he was doing for "stop", and making angry noises for "Hitler" or "hamster"). He could pick up on my emotions, especially if I was nervous, and once totally gave away that I had a bad pinochle hand by chattering his teeth, because he picked up on my tension. He loved to talk on the phone and listen to it, especially if he got to hear other guinea pigs or me. He would burble during floor time or yard time while he led the piggy train around.

Einstein, of course, is completely blind and most likely completely deaf (although he does seem to pick up on me walking around the apartment when you wouldn't think he would). He is completely unable to pick up on any sort of talking or any noises from other pigs, yet he cries for his peachypellets, rumbles at Jackie and the girls, chatters his teeth, raises his chin, and humps other pigs. He also loves to talk on the phone, but he might just have picked up that he gets cuddled when he talks a lot (because I do love the talky pigs). I'm not sure his incessant licking is communication as much as it's perception.

Cuddles begs for attention and hardly ever runs away when I pick her up. When I'm holding her, she talks at length although she's holding more of a monologue than a conversation. She likes being petted some ways some times, and bites when she's petted in any other way or when she's in a bad mood. I think her illness has made her closer to me simply because I handle her more, try to calm her down, pet her, cuddle her, and kiss her belly. (I can't help it! If you saw her belly, you'd want to kiss it too. She has a stripe!) She recognizes her name, which catches her attention more than any word except "hay". She yells and chatters at Suzi and raises her chin and threatens to bite her, but doesn't ever hump her. She also has a different yell for the boys when they hit on her. She talks at the phone but I don't know if she specifically thinks of it as something she should talk at, or if she just happens to be talking.

Jackie knows his name and runs when I say it. He rarely makes any noise other than a scared chatter and a rumble, although he does squeal at the girls, and he sometimes whines when he's upset. He runs away from me, chews my shirt when he's upset, hits on my shirt when I've been holding a girl, tries to hide in my shirt when he's scared, and eats the phone. He very politely shoves his butt off my body and poops on the floor, however.

Suzi was a lot like Doom while Doom was still alive. They talked to each other a lot from the very beginning, not just rumbling but squeaking. They had a little communication problem for a few weeks but eventually Suzi learned that Doom didn't like her to chew on his feet, and she chewed her own feet instead. Suzi will relax most on my shoulder, passing gas or peeing on me sometimes. She nibbles my ear affectionately and squeaks loudly (but conversationally). Normally when I pick her up and pet her, before she relaxes, she rumbles angrily at me. When she was nursing Einstein and Jackie, she'd be in the hidey house nursing Jackie and Einstein would be outside stumbling around crying with hunger. Suzi would yell at him with gradually increasing volume. I suspect that was some sort of "I'm here, idiot" or "Shut up!" noise. Einstein would also come attack her nipples while she was trying to get hay from the hayrack, and she would squeak and chatter and run away. She's been quieter since Doom died and she had that surgery it took so long to recover from. She knows her name and the word "hay", at least, and she will sometimes squeal loudly for food or attention (at least that's why I think she's squealing when she has more than enough hay, water, and pellets). She reminds me of veggie times and shrieks when she hears the refrigerator door or the kitchen sink.

User avatar
katk925
Do the Dewlap in '05

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:06 am


My first pig could hear/smell a banana opening across the whole house and he would stand up against the bars and WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! as loud as possible non stop until you gave him the peel. He really liked the peel, what a weird pig.

~kat

Chirpy

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:23 pm


Chirpy will wheek and go to her food bowl, or hay rack, when she feels it's getting low. She typically still has pellets in there, but it just isn't full enough to please her and she wants me to know about it. Since I'm still having the allergy difficulties, I'll then have one of the kids or my husband get her a new bowl full of food, or else I'll go to get her a slice of apple, pear, or a bit of carrot that I can slip through the cage to her. I really miss holding her right now!

The hardest part was that she started coming to the corner nearest me and wheeking for attention the day after my worse allergy attack. I just wanted to reach in, pull her out, and hold her. She just was looking right up at me on her talking to me in a way she never had before. She still will come to the corner and wheek at me.

Other times I really don't know why she's calling out, esp. when she's in her tunnel and is just resting.

But I do know her "feed me" wheeks and her "I'm lonely. Look how cute and wonderful I am" looks/wheeks.

She also enjoys being held (once you can get her out of her cage) and will snuggle up against you while you pet her, though she rarely talks to us then. When she does, though, she sounds contented.

ChunkyPiggies

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 5:54 pm


I think each pig communicates differently. You just have to get to know their body lanuages. After awhile, I can tell which pig is in the mood for head scratches or lap time. Most of the time, they're just in the mood for food.

I also know that some pigs just want to be left the hell alone. Some like the attention once in awhile. Piggie is my most hugable pig. She'll tilt her head all the way back as you are scratching her nose, ears and chins. I usually tkae that as a sign that she wont mind being picked up. ;-)

chii
I Love Lucy

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 6:30 pm


I love how my pigs wheek if they hear a plastic bag rattle or the refrigerator open even if they have an enormous pile of hay and veggies. They want to make sure they're not getting jipped any. At least, that's my opinion.

Miss Pea is my most social pig in terms of interaction with humans. She WHEEEEEEKS the loudest and longest for veggies and just about any other time she hear me nearby. She love to be held and gurgles when I pet her. It's easy to tell what her favorite petting motions/areas are by her responses. Gurgling is good. She has this little quiet but high-pitched noise she does to protest petting she doesn't like. She also licks my arms while I hold her. It's the sweetest thing ever. I see it as affection. She only starts doing that after you've been petting her in good ways for a good while. She never runs away from me when I come to the cage unless I give her a cherry tomato-- then she runs off with it shaking her head as if I'm going to steal it away! Although at the same time, she makes this happy "rrrurrrurururrrr" gurgling noise (more pronounced than the petting one). I interpret that as sheer joy. I love it. She does it when she gets either her favorite treats or something new to try.

The other pigs, all of whom live together in an enormous cage, have actually gotten less social in terms of being held. It's like the behavior of the skittish ones rubs off on the others. The second I reach in the cage, everybody runs to the back. Frankie's by far the easiest to catch. She's just a very laid back pig. Benji's difficult to catch, but once you get him, he adores attention. He doesn't really communicate much when you're holding him, but it's just his expressions and body language that makes it evident that he loves a good head scratching.

Buttercup hates being picked up, hates being held, squirms and wiggles and protests a little. It's not out of fear though... she's just a spunky pig. She likes to run around and jump on things and DOES NOT want to SIT STILL in a LAP!!! That's precious time when she could be bossing around somebody else. Sugar, on the other hand, is actually frightened of being picked up. She SCREAMS bloody murder every time I get my hands on her... but once I get her out of the cage, she sits very still and is submissive. I rather think she just doesn't know what to think.

Mama Pig is very sweet when you hold her. She nibbles a little (and sometimes bites, but not hard), and licks arms like Miss Pea, although not as often. She also seems to realize more than her cagemates the function humans perform in regard to yummies. The other pigs all wheek whenever they're either 1) out of veggies and I walk by, 2) hear a bag rattle, 3) hear someone else wheek, 4) hear me feed the cats, 5) hear Miss Pea eating a cherry tomato (it drives them nuts when she gets her extra treat after medicine and they don't get any, even though they just had a huge pile of veggies!)... and a number of other things. Mama Pig wheeks too, but rather than just running around demanding food, she puts her feet up on the front edge and looks up and out and sticks her nose out. She also does this if I'm nearby, even if there's no bag-rattling etc. involved.

Elliot was one of the most interactive pigs I had, and oddly, only really got this way after he got sick and needed constant handling. I'm a firm believer that pigs who get lots of hands-on attention tend to interact more with their humans. Elliot got to the point where he'd follow me all around the house wheeking and nibbling on my toes while I prepared his Critical Care every day. At first, it was just the kitchen-- usually if I walked to the other room, he didn't realize where I'd gone before I could get back. But before long, he would actually follow me wherever I went, just like a puppy. It was adorable.

User avatar
Jools63

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 7:39 pm


Spike is the most communicative of my 3 boars. He is always waiting at the front of the cage first thing in the morning, lunchtime, after work etc. He will wheek the loudest when he hears the front door opening when I come home from work at lunchtime. He loves having his chin stroked and will come up to me and request that this is done, especially when i'm poop scooping.
He loves being cuddled but will let you know in no uncertain terms when he needs to go back to the cage for a wee. I made the mistake of falling asleep for a few minutes a while ago whilst holding Spike and was rudely woken by a sharb bite on my finger!!

Both Frankie and Spike make noises to tell me that they are happy and comfy whilst being held but Bobbie never has. Bobbie always looks like an animal caught in someone's headlights. He's getting slightly better but because of lack of noise I'm still not sure if he likes being held or not.

Frankie on the other hand is just a great big softie. He loves being cuddled and held but will also let you know when he's had enough. He is also very good at letting me know that he hates the bath I just gave him or the nail clipping or the butt cleaning. A slight nip to my neck makes his feelings pretty clear.

All three love floor time, which they have for an hour to an hour and a half each night. Popcorning like mad and running round the room like greased lightning. They also love going back into a clean cage and always popcorn around it for a while after.

But they are at their most comfiest when they come to watch tv with mum and the dogs. All three sit on the back of the sofa and just completey chill out man! But you have to make sure to get them in the correct sitting order - Spike first, then Frankie in the middle then Bobbie. Otherwise its nose lifts till dawn until I intervene and split Spike and Bobbie up. Frankie is a great peacemaker!!

GP Lover
My home, ruled by pigs!

Post   » Sat Nov 06, 2004 11:03 pm


"In your own words, how does your cavy communicate to you and how do you feel you communicate to it? "

Sophie never utters a word. She communicates solely with her eyes and the expressions on her face. When she really wants something bad she stares at me intensely with her nose up in the air. Somehow, she just refuses to make a sound.

Angel chortles and purrs the entire time you hold her. But, she shrieks bloody murder when you go to pick her up in the cage. Once she's on your shoulder, the purring begins.

Elsie squeaks the entire time you touch or hold her. She also communicates like her mom, Sophie. She has expressions that let you know when she wants to be held, petted or picked up. She purrs too when you hold her and she's my chirper.

The way I communicate back is just talk to them like they're human and touch and kiss them constantly.

"How strongly do you feel you really understand each other?"

Very strongly!!! The one who never speaks, Sophie, understands everything I say.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:33 am


I'm always amazed at how different pigs are. Sophie sounds neat. I think some pigs are very quiet.

slavetofuzzy
4 the Good of all Pigs

Post   » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:44 am


All three of mine are loaded with personality but each is quite different. Fuzzy, being the only one I've had from a very young age, is most likely to run up to me for a pet when I'm just sitting in their room. She wheeks when she hears us walking around upstairs, or up the stairs, in anticipation of food! Then Zoe chimes in. Fuzz is the one I talk to and feel she understands me. I pet her and tell her she's so beautiful and she'll lay down to soak in all the praise. She's the one that putt-putts when she's walking around. She responds when I make those same sounds. She'll come to me if I purr or putt-putt. She's my little lover. She will also let me (MAKE me!) feed her the seed heads from the hay as I'm filling their hay stacks. She climbs on my legs and begs for them! Oh, and sometimes she likes to play a game with me when I'm trying to pick her up for a cuddle. She runs from one place to another while I crawl around like a piggie and purr at her (frightening thought, I know but it really is a game!). The running isn't a frightened pig run, it's more of a "ha-missed me again" run. She never hides-she just moves slightly out of reach then onto a different part of the room. When she's finally ready, she plops down on her pillow and will let me pick her up. Then she snuggles me and give me little kisses on my bottom lip.

Zoe is getting friendlier but isn't as vocal as Fuzzy. She only wheeks when food is imminent or if I start the chorus. She has learned that if I try to pet her and she chatters her teeth at me I will only be more determined and pick her up! Now, she will more often than not, let me pet her and she knows I'll be done soon. She has recently started laying down when I begin petting. I take that as a sign she's more comfortable with me. She's actually more of a lap pig than the other two. She loves it when she gets alone time downstairs with me. She's the one that will curl up and go to sleep on me. Fuzzy's too busy. She will lay for a bit but want to explore.

Ozzy is the piggie that, when he came to me as part of the MD piggie train, would run up to cage edge and beg for attention. Now that he has his girls and a whole room to himself he isn't as starved for attention! He is not vocal at all. The only sounds I hear are teeth chattering and happy squeaks when he's found a spot where the girls have peed recently! I've yet to hear a wheek from him.

When I clean their cages (well, it's more like food stations-they are free range), they like to be right there. "What'cha doin' slave? You got more hay for us slave? Hey, I just put that poop there! Why are you taking it?!" That's what they seem to be thinking/oinking. Then I reach out and say "gonna getcha" and try to pet them. They take off across the room and then come back as soon as I turn my back. It's almost like they are playing tag. I have so much fun with them.

They also know when the pellets come out. They play follow the leader. I really have to watch where I step, since I'm the leader! I think, to a certain degree, they do understand human body language. The more time I spend with them the more I am convinced of this.

When Fuzzy was an only pig she and I were really getting to the point where I felt she knew what I was saying, etc. I try to copy their sounds and "talk" to them (the pig whisperer!). That seems to give them more confidence in me too. I could go on all day.

User avatar
domill

Post   » Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:50 pm


Something I never realized before is that they have different voices. Bubba and Snickers wheeks are completely different. I agree with Lynx about the designated wheeker. Snickers is the wheeker. I always wondered why Bubba never wheeked for food. One day, my daughter had Snickers out of the cage and I happen to open the frig. Bubba who was sitting in the cage let out this huge wheek. I guess since Snickers wasn't around, he had to voice his own desires.

This week Bubba has started something new. He is obcessed with my sofa. When he is down for floor time he immedately runs to sofa trying to figure out a way to get up on it. If I put my hand down, he will use it like a step stool. Still can't figure out why he wants on the sofa so bad.

ChadWPB

Post   » Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:59 pm


In my herd, the four sows do the wheeking for food, but the "front line" is Amee and Marilyn. The boars rarely wheek since the sows took over.

Fuzzie's cage seems to be closely bonded. If we put on pig from the cage on the sofa, he or she will start sniffing around, wheeking for cagemates. They're short little wheeks at first, then louder to an almost fever pitch.

Amee, though the smallest pig by weight, has a deep, raspy wheek. The others wheek and squeal more like typical pigs. Marilyn lets out a huge squeal when picked up from tiem to time.

Of course we also have the chirping. Marilyn and Snuggles are confirmed chirpers. We had a chirping episode the other night, but we were unable to identify the culprit. So we may have yet another chirper.

Post Reply