Screeching/Squealing noise?!?

[e.murphy518]

So first time this happened was last night when I was in bed and the lights were off. It actually happened a few times last night. One of my chins has been making a very high pitched long squealing sound. Not very frequent, but I have never heard it before so it is freaking me out. It actually woke me up last night because it was so loud. Just now, while I was up in my room with lights on, watching the chins, one of them did it again! I was looking right at them, while the sound was happening I looked at every single one and I can't tell who it was! One was running on a wheel and the others were just hopping around like normal! None of them seem to be in pain, they are all eating, pooping, peeing and drinking normally, all are super active, so I have no idea whats going on! None of them even looked like they were making noise and they all perked up their ears when they heard it like 'what was that?' (except the one on the wheel).

Anyone have any insight into what it might be/if its a bad thing/what I should be looking out for?

I am hoping that it is nothing, that one of them just discovered a new sound they can make and they are trying to catch my attention but it is so screechy that it makes me wonder if something is wrong.

Any thoughts? I would post a recording but I have no way of knowing when it will happen and when it does it is typically just one longish sound, but not long enough to grab my phone and record it

 

[Newt]

Oh god I hate that noise!!

My Rosey does it when she's frustrated and wants my IMMEDIATE attention... usually when she thinks play time is way overdue. And every time, I can't help but react like someone is being murdered, even though I know fine well that it's only Rosey, and that she's only screaming like that to get my attention!

I guess she's got me trained!!

 

[mgonya]

My female does that when she is sleeping. I believe it happens with a lot of chins. Mine is always fine when I run in there.

 

[ticklechin]

The death squeal, I HATE that noise! It sounds like they are being killed but it seems to be a noise when they are happy and want to be noisy, mine usually do it running on the wheel or running around the cage.

 

[javachin]

I have a few vocal chins who like to do that during certain periods of the day. I would say its something to attract your attention. Chins make so many funny noises.

 

[e.murphy518]

Okay, thank you all so much! I feel a lot better about it now, I was so freaked out!

Dawn- "death squeal" is the perfect name for it! It really sounded like one of them was in excruciating pain or something, but they all seemed happy!

It hasn't happened since, but I am glad that I now know I shouldn't be worried for when I hear it next. They are such funny and crazy little fuzzbutts! Its amazing how smart and aware they are, they will try anything to get our attention!

 

[TheDarkLlama]

I guess just in the interest of making a record,

Mine seems to do it particularly at night. I can't say for sure, but I think she sometimes has nightmares and does that. She also just does it randomly so that kind of breaks the pattern. Also it's very similar to the warning/terror call rabbits make when--say you get too close to, or pick up a baby and it tries to call it's mother. I'd imagine they evolved the ability as a warning call. Maybe our domesticated chins no longer use it just for warning. But that would explain the reaction for the other chins to prick their ears up--they are evolutionarily hardwired to listen to that call to decide if there is danger or not.