Biting Biting

[Jodine]

My boyfriends piggy never nibbles or bites him. Mine, however, does. Hard. He’s drawn blood once. He doesn’t do it when I’m holding him or picking him up. Just when he is walking around on me and catches me not monitoring my fingers. Is that normal?


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[ItsaZoo]

Most times they bite when they feel threatened and have nowhere to run. But they also may bite if you feed them something and the scent is still on your fingers, like green pepper for example. Or they may bite if surprised and they don’t see your hands before you pet them or pick them up. Their vision is not all that good, they lack depth of field so they can’t judge distance, and they can’t see below their noses.

Mine does not bite when I handle her, as long as she sees me reach for her and she is in an open area of her pen. But if she is cornered in an enclosed area like her pigloo, I have to cover my hand with a piece of fleece because she bites.

 

[MerryFriarTuck]

It's normal, especially if he's young! Young and baby guinea pigs can be VERY nibble-y lol...they're still testing their limits and figuring stuff out much like a puppy
My Robin Hood was down right nippy as a baby, but he grew out of it! He'd nibble, then bite down just hard enough it hurt and look at me as if for a reaction. I'd just say "ow" or "no" to him in a firm but calm voice and gently pull my hand back and he'd let go. He hardly ever nips now!
My other piggy Friar Tuck is never nippy, but like you, if im not monitoring my fingers, he will occasionally give them a nip! And I've figured out it has to do with my fingernails--- he sniffs and then bites down on my fingernail ( including my finger itself ) like he thinks it's food. So I stopped putting my hand palm down near him; now only palm up or with my fingers curled in.
Guinea pigs have a very good sense of smell, so even if your fingers don't smell like veggies to you they can to them, and they'll take a nibble to see! They also explore everything with their mouths, noses, and lips, because they can't feel very well with their paws. My piggies gently nibble and lick me out of affection all the time