Behavior Guinea pigs Rarely Bite? That's sooo not true.

[AnimalFarm2006]

i've always heard that Gp's don't bite, they are good with children, etc etc etc. That's not true when it comes to my youngest boar jiggy. He'll be two soon, and yet i can't hold him without him taking chunks out of my arm or shirt. It HURTS!:yuck:

How do i make him stop bitting me? I gues i would need to hold him more, but how when he just keeps grabing the fleshy parts of my arm, belly, leg, anything.

 

[claire]

Does he have a big cage and get floortime etc? He's not maybe frustrated?

 

[IluvePiggies]

Sandy bites me on the fingers but I think that she's thinking that my fingers are big wads of Timothy hay!

 

[AnimalFarm2006]

He has a 2x3, plus a sleepy bent grid, a hay rack, a pillow, hehe i don't think he is frustrated. He bites only when i pick him up as if he doesn't want out.

 

[Paula]

You should take him to the vet and find out of there's something possibly wrong with him. Guinea pigs usually only bite, especially as hard as you are describing, if they are in pain or uncomfortable somehow.

 

[Omnimous]

My older boar is a nippy guy normally, he's an Abby with some serious attitude sometimes. Lately he's been a little better, but the one time he caught my finger and it was hard to get him to let go... That one was a bleeder. I'm faster on the take now and know better to leave my fingers around his mouth, although when trying to trim his nails, he goes searching for skin to bite on. I've resorted to putting on one of my leather gloves when doing the trim job.. The leather is soft enough not to be abbrasive on him, but tough enough that he can't get through it. Maybe you can put some kind of glove on to hold him for a bit?

 

[Deenanicole08]

Mine try to bite when it comes to nail trimming time. I'll have my boyfriend hold him while I try to clip them but he always gets bit. So I stopped making him help me because I felt bad. They always pee and poop on him too but rarely on me, they must know he isn't a fan of them or something lol. But I agree with Paula, take him to a vet to get checked out because they usually dont bite just because, he could be in pain.

 

[Haley0489]

I'm sorry, but pigs don't JUST bite because something is wrong with them.

Milo and Norbert bite me any time I'm doing something they don't like (ie picking them up, trimming their nails, wanting to go back to their cage). Especially Milo, he's bitten me until I bleed and bruise, sometimes for no reason other than he has an attitude. And nail trimmings are the absolute worst, I always end up scratched and chewed up.

I think it's unfair that people have created the stereotype that "guinea pigs never or rarely bite". Now when people get guinea pigs who are biters, they think they're doing something wrong or their pig hates them. That's just not it.

They have teeth, they bite.


Best thing to do with a biting pig is to avoid their teeth. Pick them up with a towel, cuddle cup, etc.

 

[claire]

If it turns out there's no medical problem, I found when training baby rats (who like to bite everything to see if it's food or just generally destructable) that a sharp squeak noise of pain made them stop nibbling body parts. "Ow!" didn't have same effect. Pulling away made them think it was a game. So I made the sort of noise they (or their mum) would make if hurt. Worked a treat. Then one of my piggies had a chew on me when I first got him, from habit I did a squeak instead of an "ouch!" and it worked for pigs too. Just a thought. Though they were curious tastes of human rather than full-on attacks.

 

[Deenanicole08]

I'm sorry, but pigs don't JUST bite because something is wrong with them.

No one ever said they ONLY bite when in pain, we said USUALLY. Usually doesn't mean only.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Have you read Biting Guinea Pigs: What to Do ?

 

[IluvePiggies]

My Guinea Pig must have an attitde then but now, she rarely bites anymore unless I'm holding her somewhere uncomfortably. When I first got her, she bit me on the arm and it left a mark but she didn't draw blood.


I really think that she thinks that my finger is a big piece of hay! While Carly sniffs your finger then runs away quickly!

 

[Myspoiltpiggies]

ummm for your information it IS true that guinea pigs rarely bite.

Otherwise, I am extremely lucky to have had 50+ guinea pigs and never had one bite me!!

Your piggy is in the minority. He probably was not socialised when young (or could be another reason, as others have already suggested). Offer him food when he is being handled, so he trusts and respects you. Make loud noises when he bites. This breeder I used to know would say 'NO!' to her guinea pigs and they'd stop misbehaving straight away.

 

[babybunny]

My Sammy bit me once very hard, enough to break the skin. Found out it was because of mites. Once he was treated, he never had did that again. He still loves to nibble *everything* in reach, including my fingers. He is just exploring though, as they are not true bites.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Guinea pigs bite for a reason and it's not because they have teeth. Usually there is something causing them to bite. Whether it's mites (which are painful to the pig) or if they don't like the way they are being handled. It could be one of many reasons. Most guinea pigs do not bite.

 

[CavySpirit]

I can't count how many guinea pigs I've had through the rescue or held. 1000+, 2000+ I'm not sure. Only a few guinea pigs came in with biting issues and after working with them in a proper environment, proper food, cage mates, etc., I've never had a biter stay a biter.

In holding guinea pigs to trim their nails, the only one that really wanted to bite me had mites. Technique is important.

I stand by my biting page.

 

[gooberific]

Has Jiggy been treated for mites? Do you use good-smelling lotion or soap? He might think you smell like food.

Lt. Dan will nibble at me when he has to go potty and back in his cage. Other than that, Sarge bit me a couple times when I first got the boys because he didn't like how I picked him up. Now Sarge is just a big fat baby.

 

[khptown]

My suggestion is for you to make slow movements with your hands. I got my first guinea pig from the pound and he bit horribly, because he was mistreated and not handled properly/enough. If you move you hand slower, you guinea pig will not be so frightened. Also, remember to hand feed him some veggies and fruits every so often. That will get him to warm up to you more quickly. Now my guinea pig rarely ever bites and is really big from plenty of food. He gets handled at least once a day. Good Luck.

 

[Haley0489]

No one ever said they ONLY bite when in pain, we said USUALLY. Usually doesn't mean only.

And I'm not saying that all pigs bite just to bite.

When I realized I had a biter I DID look into the problem because I had been told all along "guinea pigs don't bite", so I'm not saying 'oh, well all guinea pigs bite for no reason, so don't investigate.' No, look into it, if nothings wrong then the pig just bites.

My pigs, two of the three of them anyway DO bite. It's not like they're rabid pigs flying around the cage trying to gnaw my arm off, but when they feel they want to bite me, they will. And it's not just warning nibbles, it's a chomp.

They've got clean bills of health and no parasites. They're just biters.
If they're a minority then OK, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that this person just has a biter.


If no one else wants to agree with me that's fine. Just count yourselves lucky that you don't have biters who do this! :silly:
https://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l218/Haley0489/Guinea Pigs/DSC05499.png

Courtesy of Milo Grouchy Pants.

 

[Nelli]

And I'm not saying that all pigs bite just to bite.

... if nothings wrong then the pig just bites.

My pigs, two of the three of them anyway DO bite. It's not like they're rabid pigs flying around the cage trying to gnaw my arm off, but when they feel they want to bite me, they will. And it's not just warning nibbles, it's a chomp.

They've got clean bills of health and no parasites. They're just biters.
If they're a minority then OK, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility that this person just has a biter.


If no one else wants to agree with me that's fine. Just count yourselves lucky that you don't have biters who do this! :silly:


Courtesy of Milo Grouchy Pants.

I must agree with you.

One of my piggies (Precious) likes to bite. Nothing's wrong with her, she has a clean bill of health. No mites/parasites.

One day Precious was resting on my son's arm and out of the blue she bit him. She bit him so hard that she peirced his skin and left 4 teeth marks embeded in his arm. On another occasion following that incident she was picked up in a cozy and she started biting like crazy. Unfortunately we all learned the hard way that she must always be picked up in a cozy or blanket. Nail trimmings...always a workout with her.

Two days ago, right after I had just cleaned her cage my hand was resting on the top of the c&c and I felt a sharp nip. As I quickly pulled my hand away I looked down and there was my Precious looking up at me like "what!"

I believe that I am one of the few parents with a piggie who just happens to be a biter.