Good idea or Mean??

[Slyric]

My piggie Jacob bit me today
I think he is still a little scared of me. Which is understandable because I have had him a little less than a week. I had just put him in his new C&C cage.

About an hour later I got him out for some floor time. He seemed to REALLY want back in his C&C. He just stayed right around the outside of the C&C.
Well then I thought i really wanna hold him So I chased him for a little bit and picked him up. Sat down and held him. Then he started making that wheek wheek wheek sound. You know the short fast one.(which I beleive means he is annoyed) I held him a bit longer hoping he would stop and tried to feed him some veggies and he wasn't having it so I went to put him back in his C&C and he nipped me right as I got over the cage (I didn't not drop him, tho I did jerk a bit and say ow).

I decided to hang out by his cage for a bit to try and make up and he just seemed really scared of me. Hejust kept darting into his new hidey whenever I moved.

My idea is to continue to feed him his twice a day veggies...but only by hand. Not leave it in his cage. I want him to know me as the supa nice treat man

So I ask you is it mean to not just leave it in there all the time or is it a good make friends Idea?

 

[Miss Piggy]

Feeding them by hand is a wonderful way to get your piggies acquainted with you. I know for my pigs however, they don't necessarily eat alot at once so if I chose only to feed them by hand, they'd be complaining alot. And I'm a busy person so I can't always be there for my pigs with veggies in my hand ready to feed them. You're a new owner ( CONGRATULATIONS!) and I know you want your pig to know you're a nice guy quickly, but it's gonna take a few weeks even months for them to start to know you are a good person. Just try to feed them by hand so they can recognize you with food, and leave some extras in their cage for later. Do this everyday for at least 3-6 weeks and their personality is bound to change at least a little.

Good Luck!

 

[Treen]

If he's biting and funny about being petted, he could have mites or something else which makes it uncomfortable to be handled. Have a look at this page on biting for more information https://www.cavyspirit.com/biting.htm.

But new pigs are very nervous, especially when they're kept alone as they're social animals and gain reassurance from their own kind and being in a group/ pair. Have you thought about getting him a same-sex buddy https://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm?

Hand feeding is an excellent way to bond, and will certainly increase your popularity! Good luck!

 

[mncavylover]

Also, it could have been that the pig had to go to the bathroom--nipping and wheeking are usually signs of this. As the pigs get older, they tend to need fewer breaks.

 

[Slyric]

I wish that was all

He seemed quite irritated to be hoinest. It appeared his fur stood up a bit and he chattered his teeth. now that could have meant wee time i agree. But he has been like this since he was put in his C&C.

When I give him floor time he just seems to want back in his cage. (same room now )

I think it wil get better when I get a top to his cage and put him back in the living room with us. Then that room will just be for floor time. As it stands now with his C&C in site all he wants to do is "Go home"

And he seemed to be suddenly frightened of me. I mean he was always skittish, but today when I tried to pick him up and put him back in his C&C he was in a state that could only be describe as "sheer panic" He ran into the wall twice just trying to get away from me.

 

[Treen]

I'd certainly drop the chasing him around part of floor time - they're prey animals so having something many times its size pursuing him will just scare an already nervous creature and tell him that he's right to be scared.

It can take guinea pigs a while to gain confidence during floor time, and as I said before they are social animals so a solitary guinea pig will take a lot longer to feel confident and secure not only in his cage, but especially out of it where all the smells and sights are new to him.

Just give him lots of time and patience and when you try floor time put out lots of hiding places so he can explore a bit without feeling exposed. Some of his favourite veggies dotted around the floor should help tempt him out.

Has he got a nice secure hiding place in his cage? Somewhere he can retreat to when he feels nervous, rather than having to be out in the open?

 

[Slyric]

Yes he does have a hidey hole. I took an extra grid from the cubes and bent it in have to make a tent then draped a towel ove the top.

Btw he seems to stay in that hidey NON stop. I have onlt seen him out of it once.

And how do I drop the chasing part. It is necesary to get him back in the cage after floor time. Maybe you can suggest a less scary way to get him back in the cage? I would sure apreciate it

 

[dagwellismypigy]

Don't give him floor time yet. I would only give him laptime until he is tame. Then and only then i would gradually give him more and more floor time.

 

[Treen]

If you use hiding places during floor time, he will most likely go to one of those when he sees movement, so wait until he's in one then you can easily pick him up from there.

It's natural for a new pig to stay hidden - some people advocate removing the hiding place so they're forced in to being exposed to everything but I always think it's kinder, and far more rewarding, to earn their trust. He'll come out to investigate and eat when there's nothing else going on - he just needs time to adjust to all the new sights, sounds and smells.

 

[phantac]

I use a large cardboard tube to retreive my piggies. Most of the time it works. I remove all hideys and put the tube in and when piggy runs into it i cover both ends of the tube and lift it out to where i want to go. Less traumatic for them and me. Sometimes when that doesnt work I just remove their hidy house, it has a bottom on it, with them in it. Just make sure you secure the openings with your hands so they cant jump out as you lift it.

 

[Slyric]

Ok folks I lost the internet recently, but I am at a public library to give an update..

Jacob is much bigger now and loes his C&C. Two weeks ago I got him a partner (Little Rey) also a boy. When Jacob imeaditly started mounting little Rey I got worried. Aperantly he has succefully proven his domanince and they seem to get along fine.


But........... Jacob is getting worse with his biting and I beleive whole heartedly that it may be a domanince thing.
He never bites any one but me. And I am the one who feeds him changes his bedding and spends the time with him

He comes and gets food from my hand with very little hesatation. He will let me pet him after very breif chasing. (He might go once or twice around the C&C)

Any way I was wondering if you all had any suggestions to deal with the biting.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Could he possibly have mites? Mites make the pigs uncomfortable and can cause them to nip and bite and squeal when being picked up.

 

[Teria]

Again, give him time. I've had my piggies since Dec 8 and they are still scared. They simply need a few MONTHS to get used to everything.

Think of it from their point of view, and I mean that literally. Put a digital camera into the cage and take a photo of yourself and the room from there - then you'll see how terribly big you are to him and how vast the room is. There are a few photos from this perspective in one of the galleries here, and I found them quite useful. Of course, you'll need to take a few pics outside first so your pigs get used to the flash.

I would definitely stop the chasing. Guinea pigs don't know that we only want to pet them. They always expect an attack from some large monster creaturethat wants to eat them, and your hand may be just a large monster claw to them. So naturally they run and scream and bite and wriggle in hopes to get dropped again. And if this behaviour helped once, they'll always try it again. So the only way out is to forget the petting for a LONG time, and give the little guy the peace of mind he needs. If he gives up after two rounds of chasing, it may be sheer frustration which is NOT what you want.

Honestly, I wouldn't give them floor time either yet, because this is just a huge vast new teritory with all kinds of new dangers and piggy terrors. I'd love to give mine some floor time but they are still so scared that I'd never catch them again without causing a heart attack.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

I have had my new pig,Atticus, since about december 2, All he does is nibble and sit on my lap and completely spazes if I touch him I had him treated for mites, he just needs time. I would say no floor time until he stops biting.
Atticus now is out alot even if I dont pay full attention to him because he just needs to explore me and his new world.
Also if you want to pick them up you could try to get down to their level by laying down, it is less intimidating.
Have you had him treated for mites?

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Personally, my opinion is the more you socialize a pig early on when you get him/her the better off they are. They get used to you easier and therefore it gets easier to handle them. The reason the pigs run is because they are prey animals. Even if you have your pigs for 5 years there is a good chance that they will still run when you go to pick them up for laptime, floortime, etc. It's part of their natural instincts. I think my girls are better off getting a quick chase and pick up than being left alone to feel no love from me. They love to sit on my lap or chest and snuggle up.

 

[crittermom]

My 10-month old boar Jerry is a bit of a stinker and needs sensitive handling. From the age of five weeks he has tended to bite after giving fair warning by squirming in my hands. If I ignore his signal, it's my fault as he has no other way to communicate. He's very well socialized, friendly, loves petting, and does not attempt to scurry away ~ in fact, he's a bit of an attention fiend ~ but when his tolerance for handling at a given session is over, it's OVER, and I've learned to respect that. His brother, Ben, is different -- he's the shy, somewhat skittish one -- but, ironically, Ben accepts handling and laptime very well, seldom squirms and has never nipped or bitten. I love them both and handle each with respect to their individual personalities and needs.

 

[Slyric]

Ok I think I will give your "No Floor time" Idea a real chance.


They really seem to love floor time tho. And Jacob doesn't seem afraid of me any more. When we do have floor time, if I stand up he will tend to follow me.
When I put my hands out for actual pick up tho he will split. As I lay on the floor he always come over, but if I try to pet or move the carrot closer he will split.
I think he just doesn't want to be bothered. Oh and I don't think it is mites because a I mentioned before he only nipps at ME. My girlfriend gives him lap time and holds him and he is fine. Maybe a little squirmy, but no nips.

Oh and they will not seem to eat ANYTHING but collard greens. They nibble at carrots and celery. They DEVOUR colard greens.

Any hoo thanks all I will check back in a few.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

When I put my hands out for actual pick up tho he will split. As I lay on the floor he always come over, but if I try to pet or move the carrot closer he will split.

He does this because he is a prey animal. My girls do the same exact thing during floor time. They will climb up in my lap or come sit near me if I sit on the kitchen floor but if I go to pick one of them up, they run like mad. I would continue to give floor time. It sounds as if they are enjoying it.