Common Chinchilla Sounds

*Join our friendly Facebook Group “Chinchillas UK” for advice and in-depth guides on looking after your chinchillas!*
In this video I have covered all of the most common chinchilla sounds, and what they mean. I haven't done every single sound, just the ones you will hear most often.
Small squeaks - 0:37
Barking - 1:04
Alarm calling - 1:39
Fighting - 2:02

[@BlueIdiotPie]

the fact that chinchilla's talk to themselves is the most relatable thing ever

[@robbiemoberg2164]

Like meeeeep meep meeeep meeep meeep meeeeeeep

[@Rxzor_Live]

Fr

[@vanouchkette4664]

Mine do this all of the day whenever je wants my attention 🥰 most cute sound in the World !!

[@5571Randman]

To me it sounded like whatever language that probe droic on Hoth was speaking.

[@AXAND3R]

A big mouse that looks like a rabbit and barks like a dog. *Interesting*

[@mihah9415]

Deep 99 he looks like that italian mouse from TomNJerry ,i forgot his nam

[@Indydi]

I've always described them as a cross between a mouse, squirrel, and kangaroo. But yeah, you could add dog in there too.

[@jayjay86443]

And clucks like a rooster and "fights" like a goose.

[@whateverland7464]

and jump like a kangaroo!

[@Valerio_the_wandering_sprite]

@@whateverland7464 and sprays a stinky ooze like a skunk!

[@madohomuer]

i’m a new owner and was extremely concerned when i heard him barking at his buddy now i realise he was stealing his food 😂

[@bencenagy5459]

Lmao

[@jesserz3]

Same but when I was taking her out

[@erzascarlet4784]

Lmao i was so scared.. im new to chins and i heard mines barked yesterday i didnt even know they can do that😂i thought it was just squeaking lmao

[@Boe-Temeraire]

I never realised that my chinchilla was talking to himself. That’s so adorable!

[@silverwisp4529]

Same! Also I love your pfp 🖤👽🤍💜

[@chairwithoutwheels9148]

I woke up at 4am to some sort of hellish clown cackle and thought i was having some harsh nightmare, took me a minute to realize it was just my chinchilla being demonic..

[@artsyandy6431]

Oh god thats what my chinchilla has done its terrifying

[@this-is-not-hannah]

Lmao this literally just happened to me I thought I was going crazy!

[@chairwithoutwheels9148]

@@this-is-not-hannah OMG i still remember this so vividly,, how long you had yours so far?

[@this-is-not-hannah]

@@chairwithoutwheels9148 I've had mind for a couple of months and yesterday was the first time he's done that I was so confused! I thought I was dreaming at first I had no idea chinchillas even made that sound lol

[@trinitymcdevitt350]

Thank you so much!! My chinchilla woke up out of a sleep alarm calling and I thought she was dying!! (I also learned a lot from the other ones) Thank you again!

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

That sound scared the life out of me the first time I heard it too! One of ours regularly wakes up from a bad dream alarm calling 😭

[@savalinasav5803]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 hello, we just got our chinchilla today and it is making alarm sounds, i feel bad for her but don’t know what to do :( Could you please help me

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

@@savalinasav5803 it's natural for her to be scared at first. Make sure she has a few places that she can hide in her cage, and keep her in a quiet room. She will settle soon hopefully 😊

[@savalinasav5803]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 got it, thank you so much !!!

[@user-jf4lt4uk7u]

Chinchilla: *Angry noises* Hooman: *He’s speaking the language of the gods*

[@jennifertattershall9141]

*She's speaking the language of the pig*

[@TaraAndFriends]

We used to breed chinchillas. When a baby chinchilla is far away from mom, it will call out in a special little squeek. The moms do this for their children, too. I think it helps them locate each other. When I was little, I used to hold the babies, and I'd sit in a chair and let them romp around. Well, one day I got curious. If I could replicate a similar sound, could I call the babies like the mama, and the mama like a baby? The answer is yes. I loved making the sound and seeing mama come to the cage and reply. I also loved watvhing the babies come to like I was calling them. They would cuddle up next to me, sometimes even taking short naps. Now that I rescued a frightened and abused chinchilla named Tara, I decided to try making the sound to her. She now feels comforted and even will come when I call. She lives in my room, so at night I sometimes wake to her calling back for me. I usually make the sounds at her, wait for her to calm down, and then go back to sleep. She's so cute, I just love her so much. Btw, she's my profile pic.

[@NurseSnow2U]

Such a beautiful story. My daughter is interested in a chinchilla but personally I think she’s still too young to be the primary caregiver (I’m a nurse that works long hours). I’m so happy Tara has a new loving home with you, cannot imagine how people can be abusive toward animals it absolutely breaks my heart 😢💔.

[@TaraAndFriends]

@@NurseSnow2U awe! I get that. And yes, it's absolutely heartbreaking to know that people abuse animals. As a quick tip, try to avoid getting pets from the chain stores, like petsmart, petco, etc. They come from mills, sadly 😥 Anyway, have a great day, and thank you for reading Tara's story, I appreciate that you care 😊

[@floodlime8620]

This is so wholesome and lovely

[@olivia3133]

why does mine bark when she’s literally by herself in the other room😭

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

She will have heard something 😊 sometimes it's something far away that startles them, and they have much better hearing than us!

[@olivia3133]

Emily's Animal Room ahhh okay thank you!

[@narinmnur]

@@mcringelpietzz4085 I have two male chins, just heard that female chinchillas can't leave in one cage peacefuly (unless they're sisters) and it's better not to breed them by yourself because of complications. Of course, in large groups they will feel better, but if someone cannot afford it? Okay, agree, then people better shouldn't have pets at all and let every animal live in nature

[@killercoyote5673]

@@mcringelpietzz4085 I am going to school for wildlife research, and have had chins for years now. From my own personal research I have learned that female chins do best if they are with a sister or alone with an owner who actually cares and plays with them. Most female chins do not go well with male chins unless breading, or with other females unless they are siblings. 😊

[@Sun-ft8wh]

If your chin is by herself she may be barking for attention or something might have upset her. Mine barks when he wants a treat in the middle of the night 😑

[@MariahRose1]

im waiting this bc my roommate has a chinchilla and i never know what he is talking abt. at least I know he's making happy noises when I pick him up and play with him.

[@Eevee_133]

For some reason, my chinchilla keeps barking at a green plastic clothes hanger on the floor. No idea why he hates it so much. Maybe it insulted him 🤣

[@Valerio_the_wandering_sprite]

Maybe your cat left their scent there, it's typical for chinchillas to warn humans (= big chinchillas) a predator is nearby.

[@jackplays1311]

The chinchilla in the thumbnail looked so done with it!

[@oscarmartinez3186]

Fr 😂

[@patriciavasquez6113]

THANK YOU!!!! The alarm calling I couldn’t find anywhere with the name and sound so I never knew what it was. She does it every now and then and it worried me so much. So ty❣️❣️

[@creeksquad1114]

I have one chinchilla and I accidentally left the cage open and he crawled into bed with me lol

[@NurseSnow2U]

Oh my goodness that would’ve scared the mess out of me!!! 😱😂

[@adxore]

@@NurseSnow2U Gurll same and but mine ran into the kitchen while i was brushing my teeth im like "get back in ur cage you fluff ball

[@creepywaffles4783]

Once I woke up at 3am checked the time then head this weird clown like laughter not terribly loud but like a giggle. I panic thinking it killed me family and I freeze eyes wide open and I get the courage to turn my phone flashlight on and he’s just chuckling to himself in his cage! It was so creepy! Kinda like the last one except not aggressive and was higher and quieter he was awake so he wasn’t dreaming I walked over to him and he’s like what? What you want at this lovely hour?

[@cassidylynnj03]

Mine is doing this right now!!

[@Lemonade_madness]

Mine is eating the universe how do I stop it?

[@larawaldron7878]

@NG JING QI VERILYN Student it doesn’t happen very often it isn’t super loud besides the alarm calls but again those don’t happen as often the loudest part about chinchillas is they jump and run around at night

[@MoonpieDragonBubblesTea]

I just got my first chinchilla a month ago. She's doing quite well. I renamed her Vanessa (Sally before). She did make that grunting sounds in her sleep once before. I thought she might be sick so left her to it to see her in the morning. She's was fine. Now I know it is sleeing sounds. Lol.... Thanks. I had rats previously. Not rabbits anything else. She needed a new home so I took her in. She's quite sweet.

[@soldancer]

I'm glad to know that my new chilla is making happy noises when she squeaks. She most often does it when she is up close to me while I'm giving her pets or we're touching noses through her cage, but I worried that it might be a stress sound. It sounds a lot like dog whining, so I wasn't entirely sure what it meant. It comes when she seems happy, but prey animals can be weird and give mixed signals for sounds. I'm pleased that it's just her "talking" noise.

[@CrayolaCoffeeBean]

Sometimes my chinchilla will SCREAM! Like a crazy screech of bloody murder! I’ve never been able to find a video of this sound, but he does this in the morning when I’m too slow to give him his scoop of breakfast haha When the king is hungry, I must hurry because humbug to the hay 😏

[@Boredchinchilla]

That high pitched “oh my god I’m dying!!!” sound seems to be designed just for us. Mine do it in the the middle of the night when I’m sleeping and they want snacks. It often sounds like someone is hurt, and I usually go check (even though I know they are luring me out there). If I don’t go out and check them, they will make a noise like someone falling, THEN scream like they have broken all four legs lol. I still go out and make sure everyone is in one piece and nobody is bleeding when I hear it, but it doesn’t seem to be an actual scream of pain- we call it “the drama llama scream” lol. When they are really in pain they hide it super well and never make a noise.

[@salad.1100]

fighting chinchilla sounds like a rally car

[@clichewillow9618]

omg you just save me like 3 days of none sleeping because of the alarm barking my chinchilla does that and I always worry if he is alright. tysm

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

I'm glad it helped 😊

[@Jenny-mo9ug]

Mine cries sometimes- it's really loud

[@strawberrytam98]

Didn't realise they made some of these sounds! So interesting!

[@sinillreis7323]

Awwwww my little one talks with himself🥺🥺🥺🥺he learned everything from the owner(me) my tiny boy barked at me the first times I tried to touch him! Its one month that I have him and he's so sweet with me, he loves when i handle him with my arms(I try to keep him in his cage because I dont want him to get hurt, he enjoys little caresses but its not totally comfortable with it, other thing, he is a energetic one! He makes a mess every single night😂

[@thewheeklylife6131]

This was so interesting!

[@MIKEDOG620]

Mine only does the barking noise, and that's when she is dreaming. She used to make the fighting noise because she hated my teen that initially had her. Now she is happy with me caring for her.

[@bailleylarson3242]

its so funny that chinchillas talk to themselves

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Very relatable i think 😂

[@Alikath]

My chinchilla used to bark at us if we took too long (according to him) to get him his food or sand bath and would make like this crying squeaking noise if he wanted someone to pet him but no one was or when he wanted attention that he wasn't getting (again according to him) lol. He was also not happy if you were not sitting in his playpen playing with him every night lol. He was a special little guy lol. Still miss him even though he was a diva.

[@rhysbradley10]

1:08 "don't you touch my butt!" 😂

[@susanaponte1579]

Chinchilla are such beautiful animals! I would love one or two, however I have 5 guineas, and they're alot of work, so maybe in the future. Great video!

[@Pomodorosan]

Cute, informative, good examples and spot on. A fifth noise I would add is teeth chattering, I think it means they're content and interested.

[@bayzaranya]

OH MY GOD. THIS RAISES SO MANY QUESTIONS WITH ME!! Story: I went to PetSmart one afternoon, looking for me and exwife a cat. We seen Chinchillas there, and I asked if exwife ever seen one. She said no. Same for feeling one, and I had the idea to have a store employee supervise us showing her how awesome they are. No sooner than this chinchilla seen a hand, it was instantly ready to fight, and it kept that up along with full body paralysis... I’m seeing this video now, and I’m so worried about those chinchillas from 2 years ago...

[@socialanxiety9153]

The last chinchilla sounds like a really broken and old chainsaw

[@13steven130]

The fighting one sounds like the radio

[@rosemarycurbeam158]

dude my aunt is getting me a chinchilla for christmas

[@sipofsunkist9016]

that bark caught me off guard xD cute little thing

[@helloimafangirl7163]

I might be getting one soon 💓

[@vailarvia7624]

Thank you for this! I still want a chinchilla. I am still learning more bout them.

[@blackavar5723]

Thank you so much for this video! I am getting a chinchilla tomorrow, (all prepared and researched, exotic pet vet ready!) :)

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Sounds great! Feel free to join our new Facebook group "Chinchillas UK"

[@blackavar5723]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 Thank you so much - I will do that!

[@bemixy5672]

Is your chincilla noisy at night?

[@Aquafvnapersonal]

They sound like kittens lmao awww

[@HandmadeDIYDog]

Love chinchilla ❤

[@stephenpowell5912]

Adorable Chin❤❤❤

[@puckmarin]

I have no idea how I got here, but I’m glad I did. 💜

[@bonniecarpenter145]

So they make guinea pig noises, dog noises, bird noises and duck quacks. Got it! 🤣

[@ahonevest840]

I’m so glad I found this my chinchilla was making the first sound and I thought he was hurt 😭

[@unstabl-3]

That seagle sound is crazy lol

[@user-wv8ng4yq5p]

what is a repeated short but loud squeaking sound? she does it often when i play with her and my dog is around, but she doesn’t act like she’s threatened and it doesn’t sound like a bark.

[@benteverhaar3482]

My chinchillas never barked at me but did do the last sound. They have become quite tame since ive got them and hardly do it now. They will also do something similar to the warning sound sometimes but dont look distressed at all while doing it and they do it when im nowhere near too

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

The warning sound can be set off by anything, including sounds humans can't hear! Anything from a car door closing in the next street, to the wind

[@Marz7]

The bark ❤️

[@BrickImmortarEsp]

Hey I make those sounds too! It gets me extra scritches and attention sometimes!

[@gregguralnik2512]

My chinchillas used to make the alarm call every time it would rain. Sometimes they would make that noise an hour or so before the rain began to pour. They hated the rain.

[@Gameface9782]

My boy will alarm call at me until I stop snoring

[@flaminggallows1172]

I've had my chinchilla for a few weeks now and she's very chill with her life although she does this chitter like thing, a sound similar to the chitter rats make when they are happy, and I'm still not very sure what it means, but she isn't being agressive or jumpy when she makes the sound

[@arfriedman4577]

Thanks for your video. Makes me miss my chinchillas and degus very much. If your chinchilla barks, don't do this to them again. They don't like it.

[@shannonembry5510]

Our baby boy will alarm bark when he thinks he is alone. I'll walk to his house and place my finger on it he usual sniffs at me and calms down 💕.

[@sayonara4626]

my chinchilla was very confused on where these sounds were coming from XD

[@catiestanish7625]

One of mine started alarm calling and I didn't know if she was choking or something. Glad she's ok. 😅

[@pijaschy85]

My chinchilla alarm calls very often. shes new but she should be used to the new sounds by now. i talk to her but im still a bit worried bc she does this really often

[@levi5075]

In sweden it’s required to have 2 chinchillas at least they can’t be Alone, if they are alone they needs to have babies or they are separated because they are chasing each other

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

That is interesting 😊

[@wilvanfuchs5973]

My chinchilla keeps making a sound that sounds like a sneeze but he isn’t sneezing (he’s alone for medical reasons) Is there any chance you’re aware of what this is?

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Without hearing it myself, it's hard to say. It could be a startled/grumble noise, as that's similar

[@milojasperchinchillas5671]

your chin is gorgeous

[@thewheeklylife6131]

Do they make sounds when they are content?

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

They're pretty quiet animals, aside from the chatting noise (small squeaks) they ususlly sit in silence if they're just happy & content

[@squidshill2738]

hey im not sure if youll see this but my chinchilla is making fighting noises at nothing? i was on my bed and she was in her cage and i heard her making those fighting sounds, so when i went to check what was happening she was just sitting in the corner.. im really confused

[@Siouxz84]

Ok, so my daughter has had a chinny for a couple weeks now and I was in the bathroom and heard the weirdest noise. I decided it had to be Vinny but was still a bit worried. Thanks to your vid I’m more than 100% certain it was Vin, but now I’m a tad concerned as to why he was alarm calling. I’m hoping it was just a dream, as nothing seems out of the ordinary. Again though, thank you for this direct/to the point video.

[@ryuki428]

My chinchilla make A L A R M when was 3pm. I just pat her and she's just stop and goes to sleep

[@Tandora-yo7pl]

I have had my chinchilla for about a month And the three got along well and cuddled, but since yesterday one runs after the other and they are fighting and I don't know why, please help me what should I do.

[@myseparatelife]

Will Chins make the barking or alarm noise if you move their cage into a new area? We are having our apartment sprayed for bugs (it gets done every 3 months) and we moved him into the living room so they guy could spray the baseboards. Now, anytime I go into the living room, and makes noises at me. However, I know he’s eating because I gave him a treat… is he just overwhelmed?

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Yes, he is probably just on edge because of all of the changes for him

[@myseparatelife]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 is there anything I should do? He has food and water, and a fan directed to his cage… he is my roommates so I’m stressing but she is at work and idk if I should text her and let her know, or if he will be okay and to just wait. He doesn’t make the noise unless I’m in there

[@gisellevillanueva1117]

They remind me of a jumping mice from coralline

[@Sam-pg9hr]

What if it sounds like an alarm call but its not repetitive? One of my chins will jump down and make this noise and I'm not sure if a noise scares her or if she is in some kind of pain. She seems fine when she is just sitting/ playing but occasionally when she jumps she makes this squealing sound and it scares me!

[@375Cheytac]

2:02

[@zackjia]

The sounds of alarm call it’s actually their mating call

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

You are mistaken :) the alarm call is pretty well known, though a females mating call may sound similar. My clips were all from my two boys, so definitely no mating going on.

[@Kacperek213]

when the chinchilla was barking it was saying no

[@tramtramlimbuscuit8180]

Im in love with mine snd im concern about my pets health and everything so this helps me alot ngl

[@GreymanWalking]

I was listening to these while my chinchilla was sleeping, the alarm call woke him up and he went to the highest point in his cage, looking alert. After I told him it was fine he went back where he was and went back to sleep.

[@ameliaanimalgaming552]

OMG thanks At night my chin no makes startled noise and it really scares me sometimes

[@jimthecactus7425]

I have a question not relating to sound but I was wondering how much to expect spending on a chinchilla every month? I plan on getting one (probably not for another year) and I haven't seen anyone make a video answering this question.

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

That depends on lots of factors, including which country you live in. General expenses like hay and food are not very expensive. I spend about £15 a month on that probably. But the biggest costs for chinchillas are: 1. Air conditioning. An absolute must for chinchillas if your home ever goes above 21°C (i explain a bit about this in my Basic Guide to Chinchillas video). Buying a unit and running it can be expensive. 2. Potential vets bills. They need to see exotic specialist vets, so having substantial savings set aside just in case is vital. I hope this helps!

[@jimthecactus7425]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 That helps a lot thank you! The AC isn't a problem I was just wondering about expenses for things regarding food, things for the cage and such. I just wanna make sure I wouldn't be overwhelmed with the upkeep cost if that makes any sense.

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

@@jimthecactus7425 the initial setup can be pricey (cage, accessories, etc), but from then I don't find food & hay expensive for me at all :)

[@jimthecactus7425]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 Yeah I knew the initial setup is something I have to save for but I just like to know everything to expect. Would it be okay to have one chinchilla for a few months and then get a second? Thank you for being so responsive!

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

@@jimthecactus7425 you can, though that would be much harder as bonding them can be quite tricky and would mean you need 2 setups. If you want 2 I suggest getting them together straight away

[@olivia.grace659]

my chilla does the alarm sound when he has a nightmare

[@riceandcheese1463]

My chinchilla has never talked to herself until she heard it first hand😳

[@adorbsxbri2986]

i heard him alarm calling and I was like what- 😭😭

[@secrets2296]

Well my chinchillas alarm cal pretty much every night idk why

[@pinchechowder9814]

Why do they bark when u touch there back dose it hurt them in the same spot u touched urs and it barked and is that normal

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

No, it doesn't hurt. Mine just don't like to be touched. They were telling me off!

[@sonicplaysgames147]

The chinchilla said “NO” and ran

[@violetta_guineapig1]

My chinchila is making 0 noice. Did the pet store owner break the sound thingy?

[@shaddy_8675]

jo kannst du mal bitte mitteilen wo du dein gegehege gekauft hast:)

[@_wailwolf_3260]

Sie spricht warscheinlich kein deutsch, also wäre es besser wenn du es in englisch fragst

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Mein Käfig ist aus Little Pet Warehouse, es ist der Aventura. Mein Deutsch ist nicht gut, aber ich versuche es.

[@pinkdoe1725]

yes

[@moonwitch_777]

At night sometimes I hear my chinchilla making the fighting noise but I don’t have another chinchilla?

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Perhaps they are dreaming, like mine do sometimes

[@jary_mane]

My chinchilla often tries to wrestle/hump my wrist when it’s flat on a surface. Would anyone happen to know the reason for that?

[@natalieyeung6656]

My chinchillas had made barking noises like all of those. Sometimes they sound funny =)

[@goodnessgrayson]

It's very interesting that my two chins make none of these noises ever except very rarely the alarm at like 2 am

[@sarahware804]

Mine too ,he has only made the alarm sound once when he squeezed behind the bed and needed me to rescue him.

[@kate_cooper]

I lived with two chinchillas once, they used to make the “WAH! WAH! Wah! Wahh! Wahhh!” noise at night.

[@creativeponyproductions4634]

The ones I have met I have met wanted to sleep, but they are nocturnal. One too busy chewing at the bars of his enclosure to worry about anything else. He wanted out. Judging by the size of his cage I don’t blame.him

[@huneysucker]

mine makes this noise that almost sound like a sneeze mixed w a squeak?? is that normal? 😭

[@rominutemaid1532]

Dude what does it mean if it barks when im not touching it, looking at it, or near it

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Barking is usually an annoyed, "stop that" kind of sound. It's quite common for chinchillas to not like being touched.

[@rominutemaid1532]

@@emilysanimalroom2288 but I wasnt touching him nor had i tried to touch him in a while

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

@@rominutemaid1532 he could be warning you not to, or perhaps he hears a sound that spooks him and makes him want to warn whatever it is off :)

[@abigaildelapaz23-38]

My chiny makes the alarm calling sound every morning! It wakes me up everyyyy morning but idk why :( when he makes it, he’s in his little hut and nobody else is in the room

[@lilyanne563]

im so glad i found this because my chinchilla was alarm calling and i looked it up and it said it could be harmful im glad i dint trust google haha

[@LoveAtItsFiniest]

My chinchilla made the alert noise while I was trying TO SLEEEP idk what could've startled him also he makes the fighting noise when I try to pet him 🥲 yep still got a long way to go (it's only been a few days)

[@sabrinabeardmore730]

My little boy Wally, barked at me I didn't understand what he was doing .I pet him on his tail.guessing he's not ready .my co worker gave him to me for my dec 11 birthday this year figuring him out as we go.he will be going to the exotic vet in January after all the holidays are over he has his own stocking on the wall ,with treats and toys.my boy is spoiled already.

[@emilysanimalroom2288]

Aww how sweet ❤ if you haven't already, checkout my "Basic Guide to Chinchillas" video. Lots of info for new owners 😊

[@Nephilim12340]

Mind you a lot of alarm calling when the cats investigate the side of the cage too much

[@smexyrodent794]

My chinchilla wakes up screaming a lot :/

[@jimmyfallon9369]

My chinchillas make high pitches screeches, what do those mean? They don’t sound like any of these.

[@bramble6367]

Why is this in the oney plays fnaf playlist

[@OctowaveOfficial]

Exactly lol

[@faithbeyers1152]

OH MY GOODNESS IV ONLY HAD A CHINCHILLA FOR 3 months and HES NEVER MADE THE ALARM NOISE I WOULD BE SO CONCERNED ONG