Captured the questionable sound!

[Gemma]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k67kSObYJS4

Please go to the link above to hear.

The great vocalist is my male chinchilla. Him and my female (differnet occasions) make this sound and immediately stop once I approach the cage. They just perch (nothing dangerous in their surroundings) and screech this noise. It concerns me, and if anyone knows what it is please advise me!

I wish to better understand

 

[EMSChins]

It is a warning bark, they sense that something is off and are calling to other chins to be wary. Hard to tell sometimes what causes it sometimes - they sense things that we don't. It is a very common sound.

 

[obcsed]

Yup that's the warning call. They are probably hearing, smelling or sensing things you don't. If they are new arrivals in your house, they are wary of everything and will eventually stop calling as they get used to all the new sounds and activities.

Some of mine even make this call in their sleep. It is normal.

 

[Dragonflye]

Yes, an alarm call. These can obviously be frustrating for us non-chin folk. I hear this sound repeatedly, head down to the chin room to investigate, and everybody looks at me like, "What's your problem human?" (The minute I walk down the stairs, the noise stops.) Nine times out of 10 I can see nothing that could make them anxious. I always check though, just in case...I think my guys are just messin' with me...

 

[ChinnyMom]

i believe that's an alarm call. he's scared about something. he could have heard a noise or seen a shadow move and it startled him.

here's a great link for chin sounds! http://www.chinchilla-sounds.de/index_en.htm

 

[Annieo]

lol...I'm with Dragonflye/Nikki. Have no idea why they make that sound sometimes. Mine does it in his sleep frequently for no reason.

 

[LeoMonster]

Annieo and obcsed: Do they wake themselves up with the sound?

 

[obcsed]

Annieo and obcsed: Do they wake themselves up with the sound?

Nope and if I wake him up to check on him, I get the stink eye.

 

[tcraighenry]

Hee hee. The first time ours made that sound I freaked out and started looking up chinchilla sounds. I had an awful thought that they were asthmatic. I still listen to it on Youtube to make sure!

Ours does it in her sleep mostly.