Hello! Now, before I say anything I do want to establish I do not feel any real anger or lack of love towards my piggy, I love both very much and have just grown a bit annoyed.
I will fully admit to spoiling my pigs. They both came from previously neglectful homes, as well as I've been with them every single day for the past 10 months. As of recent my Guinea pig Chewie has been badly behaved? He isn't biting or fighting stella (other pig), but rather he will take his teeth and make noise with the bars for very minor reasons.
For example, it is currently winter where I am so sometimes I allow the pigs to stay under the blanket with me as more of a bonding activity. My room is kept at ideal warm temperatures, I put a sheet over their cage in the evenings, they are nowhere near any cold drafts, and they have three separate hidey spots to nuzzle up in (two of which have pillow cases in them as beds)
So they are NOT chilly. With that being said, Chewie will throw fits at least three times a day desperately trying to lay on the bed under the covers. He also insists that I'm with him under there at all times. I adore cuddling with both of them, but at this point getting the sound of half of the cage shaking at 4am is tiring. He is both very persistent and very stubborn in his actions.
It makes sense for him to think this is natural. His past home would vehemently ignore him to the point of being starved for days at a time, the only way to get attention was to chew at his cage until somebody paid attention.
Stella, my other pig, is only 8 months and has started trying to parrot him. Totally natural, but I don't exactly feel comfortable that those behaviors are becoming normalized for her..
Is there any way for me to set more boundaries with his behavior? I love him dearly and don't want to hurt him under any circumstance. I simply need help figuring out ways to appropriately teach him that this isn't acceptable.
Thank you
I will fully admit to spoiling my pigs. They both came from previously neglectful homes, as well as I've been with them every single day for the past 10 months. As of recent my Guinea pig Chewie has been badly behaved? He isn't biting or fighting stella (other pig), but rather he will take his teeth and make noise with the bars for very minor reasons.
For example, it is currently winter where I am so sometimes I allow the pigs to stay under the blanket with me as more of a bonding activity. My room is kept at ideal warm temperatures, I put a sheet over their cage in the evenings, they are nowhere near any cold drafts, and they have three separate hidey spots to nuzzle up in (two of which have pillow cases in them as beds)
So they are NOT chilly. With that being said, Chewie will throw fits at least three times a day desperately trying to lay on the bed under the covers. He also insists that I'm with him under there at all times. I adore cuddling with both of them, but at this point getting the sound of half of the cage shaking at 4am is tiring. He is both very persistent and very stubborn in his actions.
It makes sense for him to think this is natural. His past home would vehemently ignore him to the point of being starved for days at a time, the only way to get attention was to chew at his cage until somebody paid attention.
Stella, my other pig, is only 8 months and has started trying to parrot him. Totally natural, but I don't exactly feel comfortable that those behaviors are becoming normalized for her..
Is there any way for me to set more boundaries with his behavior? I love him dearly and don't want to hurt him under any circumstance. I simply need help figuring out ways to appropriately teach him that this isn't acceptable.
Thank you