Wafflelsthepiggy
New Born Pup
I have recently adopted a piggy, I have had him for 2 months now. I have had piggies as a kid but didn't know much about their behavior and such and it has been a long time since I have cared for a piggy. My mother used to breed and raise piggies when I was growing up. At first when I got my piggy (Waffles) he was sweet and shy, I used to pick him all the time, right away which I didn't know you weren't supposed to do that when they are new to your home. He was quiet, and cuddled up to me and would run up to my shoulder and sit on it. I was able to pet him and walk around with him on my shoulder. Well I noticed he started nibbling very hard one day, on me and my friend when we would hold him. It seemed like he was trying to find places to nibble, he kept trying to go for my face and my arms and hands, he actually pulled the skin on my arm. He seemed to fidget a lot and still does. Shortly after that I got sick with covid and didn't want to have too much interaction with him and put him at risk, so he wasn't held for over a month. I don't even know if piggies can get covid or not. Anyway, he seems very aggressive now. He used to nibble me gently but he has broken skin twice, and has made me bleed, I pull away and say "ow" and he still tries to do it. He lets me pet him a little bit after I give him food and he is eating, but then he throws his head up, and when I try to pick him up he turns around as if he is trying to bite me. He is chewing viciously on everything, the bars on his cage, his water bottle, he even tries to go for things out of his cage that are near his cage. I am confused, because he shows a lot of signs of being a happy piggy, he pop-corns a lot, he will come out of his hidey hole when I talk to him, he climbs up the bars of his cage to reach out to me when I come up to his cage and talk to him, he plays and makes chutting noises, and today he was wheeking very loudly for no reason, I had fed him hours earlier so it wasn't for food. There have been times when he not only turns around on me but kicks me when I try to pet him or pick him up. He often runs when I get up from my bed which his cage is next to or when I walk up to his cage. My friend had an idea to put him in a fleece blanket and hold him that way, so we put a fleece blanket in his cage with a piece of a carrot inside it and waited for him to go into the fleece blanket where I then picked him up. Which I did and it worked for a few minutes, he was eating his carrot and allowing me to pet him then he threw his head up at me and my friend told me to put him back in his cage. I am not sure what to do. I have read a lot about guinea pigs recently, everyone has different theories, some say to earn their trust, give them treats and talk to them, some say pick them up and get them used to you. I am not sure where the aggression is coming from. I think he may be ill, I am kind of afraid to interact with him because I don't want him to bite me, any ideas or tips anyone can give me, or does anyone have an idea of what is going on and why he is acting this way?