Behavior Guinea Pig Won’t Stop Licking Me

[rubberducky11]

My piggy will immediately start licking me every time my hands get near her and will refuse to stop. Whenever I pull my hands away she just starts looking for them again. If she can’t find them she just starts licking the nearest thing that smells like me, which is usually my face or clothes. It’s gotten so frequent to the point where my hands always smell like her spit if I’m not constantly washing my hands. Once my fingers even got a little pruny from all the licking. She licks me so much that her tongue gets dry. She also never licks anyone but me, even though she’s very loving and comfortable towards people. I don’t think it’s the salt because she keeps licking my hands even when she’s already licked all the saltiness away.

Does anyone else have this problem? The smell of her spit is plaguing my life.

 

[bpatters]

Do you use a scented soap on your skin? If so, switch to one with no added perfume and see if that helps.

But you can stop your skin shriveling up by just moving your hands. There's no need to let her lick you that much.

 

[Anawilliam850]

It sounds like your guinea pig may have formed a strong bond with you and is expressing affection through licking. This behavior is not uncommon in pet guinea pigs, especially those who have a close relationship with their owners. To avoid excessive licking and dryness on the piggy's tongue, you could try offering her a treat or a piece of fruit, or simply move your hands away when she starts to lick them. Additionally, you can try to wash your hands frequently to avoid any buildup of oils or salts that could be attractive to her.