Hiding Izzy hides so much and Sandy tries to bite me when I pick her up

[IluvePiggies]

My baby Guinea Pig, Izzy, hides a lot. I know its normal because they are prey animals but she squeaks and it erupts the whole house. When I pick her up, she makes this REALLY LOUD squeaking and it annoys my family. And I am handling her daily.

On the other hand, Sandy likes to be held but recently, when I try to pick her up, she has bitten me. She's bitten me in the past leaving marks and when she bites me when I try to hold her, she also leaves marks. She is usually not like this. Its really scaring me because if she bites in the same place over and over again, she could break the skin.

Any ideas?

 

[FlowersGrandma]

If this is new behavior, from what I have read here, I'd say mites. They both seem to be telling you they don't want to be touched, just in different ways. I am very new to GPs, but it sounds like to me that they are both saying that it hurts for them to be touched and since it sounds like Sandy used to loved to be held, something is making her not want to be held now.

 

[IluvePiggies]

If this is new behavior, from what I have read here, I'd say mites. They both seem to be telling you they don't want to be touched, just in different ways. I am very new to GPs, but it sounds like to me that they are both saying that it hurts for them to be touched and since it sounds like Sandy used to loved to be held, something is making her not want to be held now.

They haven't itched at all. Frankly, they don't even clean themselves unless its after a bath.

 

[Paula]

My baby Guinea Pig, Izzy, hides a lot. I know its normal because they are prey animals but she squeaks and it erupts the whole house. When I pick her up, she makes this REALLY LOUD squeaking and it annoys my family. And I am handling her daily.

On the other hand, Sandy likes to be held but recently, when I try to pick her up, she has bitten me. She's bitten me in the past leaving marks and when she bites me when I try to hold her, she also leaves marks. She is usually not like this. Its really scaring me because if she bites in the same place over and over again, she could break the skin.

Any ideas?

Hmm. Let's see. Hiding is normal. Squeaking is normal. Being loud is normal. And yes, loud enough to annoy the whole family. She's not comfortable with being picked up yet. She might not ever be. Time is the key.

As for the biting pig, behavior that's that new and that different than the norm would warrant a vet visit, but hey, it's not like you're going to listen anyway, so what exactly do you want?

You have a young pig that just died for unknown reasons and now you've got one that's suddenly biting hard enough to break skin. I can't imagine a clearer signal to get them to a cavy savvy vet.

 

[pinky]

Wrap her in a towel or make a fleece "sleeping bag" (like a mini pillow case) to put her in when you hold her. She might feel more secure and not be able to nip if the fabric is in the way.

 

[FlowersGrandma]

Unless someone in that house has mistreated that animal to make it bite when handled, there is a reason it is biting. She needs to find out the reason and fix it. I agree with Paula. It needs to see a vet.

 

[xoLauraox09]

Wrap her in a towel or make a fleece "sleeping bag" (like a mini pillow case) to put her in when you hold her. She might feel more secure and not be able to nip if the fabric is in the way.

Thats what I do with all my piggies. Thats the only way that they will enjoy lap time. ( Oh and veggies! Can't go wrong with fresh veg for a pig )

 

[NomNom]

Same thing with me, Bella hides, and tends to nip at me when I hold her :/

 

[IluvePiggies]

See, I can pet them in the cage and they purr at me. But outside the cage, they wheek at me. It is probably because I never really held Sandy in the past when I had Carli(It was a big mistake, don't worry, I know). When I first got Sandy, she was my pride and joy. Just a little bundle of energy. Hid for the first few weeks then popcorned out of her shell. Came out during feeding time. Loved veggies(Still does). And loved to be cuddled with her momma.

Thats what I do with all my piggies. Thats the only way that they will enjoy lap time. ( Oh and veggies! Can't go wrong with fresh veg for a pig )

I do this with all my piggies or I hold them close to my body so they feel secure.
I had an incident in the past couple weeks as I started to get addicted to baby carrots and whenever I brought them to my room, I gave my piggies 4 carrots(two for each of them)

 

[IluvePiggies]

Hmm. Let's see. Hiding is normal. Squeaking is normal. Being loud is normal. And yes, loud enough to annoy the whole family. She's not comfortable with being picked up yet. She might not ever be. Time is the key.

As for the biting pig, behavior that's that new and that different than the norm would warrant a vet visit, but hey, it's not like you're going to listen anyway, so what exactly do you want?

You have a young pig that just died for unknown reasons and now you've got one that's suddenly biting hard enough to break skin. I can't imagine a clearer signal to get them to a cavy savvy vet.

I didn't say she bite the skin. I said that IF she bit in the same space over and over and over again(Multiple times) she would PROBABLY break the skin.

 

[IluvePiggies]

And besides. Isabella will only nibble if she knows she has licked it wet enough to not hurt me

 

[1frankie7]

Iluvepiggies, How may pigs do you have? The number changes day-by-day.