Aggressive little piggy

[Wafflelsthepiggy]

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?

 

[GrassyPiggies]

I think someone with more experience might be better at answering this, but one of my guinea pigs used to nibble at my hands. I didn't really change anything, but I think it was how he had learnt to get treats before we got him. I just did short handling sessions, before he got bitey and I fed his veggies in his cage, and he ended up learning that he didn't get anything from doing it. He still does it occasionally when he wants to go back in his cage after being out for a while.
He might also be chewing on things in the cage to get your attention. Maybe you gave him a treat to stop him doing this, which may have made him think he gets treats from chewing the cage bars. I give my piggies apple branches to chew so when they want to chew something there is a safer alternative than metal (There are also lots of things on this forum about how to "chew proof" cages). I did also have a guinea pig that used to bite when you would touch around his neck/front legs. With recommendation from the vet we put him on pain relief for a bit and he hasn't done it since. Since your piggie is not wanting to be picked up (kicking you) he might be sore? It's never a bad thing to talk to your vet. Again, someone else probably has the answer, but this might give you someplace to start

 

[Piggies&buns]

How old is he?
He may have become a teenager and becoming hormonal and more confident in telling you what he does and doesn’t like. They usually do sit quietly as babies and appear to want to be held (sometimes it is through fear and they are too scared to do anything else), but as they settle in and get a little older, they start to feel more confident and learn to tell yu that they don’t want to be touched and held. The head flicking and kicking you away seems much like that - he doesn’t want to be touched at that time.
Running away when you get up is a very normal reaction for a prey animal who has been startled.

Does he live with another piggy?
Piggies are social animals and do always need to live with another guinea pig.
If he is single, then he will be lonely and with you as his only means of any interaction he will transfer all behaviour onto you. Unfortunately because he can’t speak human and you cant speak guinea pig, there is no way to communicate.
If he is alone, then please do look to get him a character compatible male guinea pig friend.
Doing so with the help of a rescue centre is a good idea. If he is a teenager now (which is between 4 and 14 months of age), then it can be trickier to bond then due to the hormones but being alone and missing out on piggy interaction isn’t good for him.

Does he have plenty of enrichment in his cage? (Although living with another guinea pig is the very best form of enrichment - lots of hides and tunnels are still important)
Does he have lots of opportunity to forage through big piles of hay in his cage?
What are the measurements of his cage?

A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Companionship
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

If you think he is ill, then you need to take him to a vet.
Ensure you switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead ensure you weigh him daily so you can be sure he is eating enough hay (hay being 80% of the daily food intake but not something you can judge by eye).

Weight - Monitoring and Management
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)

Please do read the green links I have added throughout the post. They cover everything in more detail.

 

[Wafflelsthepiggy]

How old is he?
He may have become a teenager and becoming hormonal and more confident in telling you what he does and doesn’t like. They usually do sit quietly as babies and appear to want to be held (sometimes it is through fear and they are too scared to do anything else), but as they settle in and get a little older, they start to feel more confident and learn to tell yu that they don’t want to be touched and held. The head flicking and kicking you away seems much like that - he doesn’t want to be touched at that time.
Running away when you get up is a very normal reaction for a prey animal who has been startled.

Does he live with another piggy?
Piggies are social animals and do always need to live with another guinea pig.
If he is single, then he will be lonely and with you as his only means of any interaction he will transfer all behaviour onto you. Unfortunately because he can’t speak human and you cant speak guinea pig, there is no way to communicate.
If he is alone, then please do look to get him a character compatible male guinea pig friend.
Doing so with the help of a rescue centre is a good idea. If he is a teenager now (which is between 4 and 14 months of age), then it can be trickier to bond then due to the hormones but being alone and missing out on piggy interaction isn’t good for him.

Does he have plenty of enrichment in his cage? (Although living with another guinea pig is the very best form of enrichment - lots of hides and tunnels are still important)
Does he have lots of opportunity to forage through big piles of hay in his cage?
What are the measurements of his cage?

A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Companionship
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

If you think he is ill, then you need to take him to a vet.
Ensure you switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead ensure you weigh him daily so you can be sure he is eating enough hay (hay being 80% of the daily food intake but not something you can judge by eye).

Weight - Monitoring and Management
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)

Please do read the green links I have added throughout the post. They cover everything in more detail.

I am not sure how old he is, my mom thinks he was 4 weeks old when I first got him. I have had him for I think about 2 months now. No I don't have another piggy but I want to get one, I tried to go back to the Petsmart I got him from to pick up another and all of the piggies were gone. I do plan to get another male piggy at some point. Just have been a bit busy and haven't had the time. Ok so he doesn't want to be touched. What should I do? Just leave him be? Or just talk to him. Which is what I have been doing. I wish I knew how to make him a little less aggressive. He has a wooden bridge, a ramp, a huge hide out, I put a bunch of hay in his cage every day and he burrows and plays in it, I forget how big the cage it but it does take up a good chunk of my room. I also have chew toys in his cage, a little chew ball and chew toys that look like little burgers and fries that I got from the store when I got him. I never knew that I had to do weight checks. I plan to take him to the vet on my next day off. I don't want him ill or in pain. Thank you for your advice and help.

 

[Wafflelsthepiggy]

I think someone with more experience might be better at answering this, but one of my guinea pigs used to nibble at my hands. I didn't really change anything, but I think it was how he had learnt to get treats before we got him. I just did short handling sessions, before he got bitey and I fed his veggies in his cage, and he ended up learning that he didn't get anything from doing it. He still does it occasionally when he wants to go back in his cage after being out for a while.
He might also be chewing on things in the cage to get your attention. Maybe you gave him a treat to stop him doing this, which may have made him think he gets treats from chewing the cage bars. I give my piggies apple branches to chew so when they want to chew something there is a safer alternative than metal (There are also lots of things on this forum about how to "chew proof" cages). I did also have a guinea pig that used to bite when you would touch around his neck/front legs. With recommendation from the vet we put him on pain relief for a bit and he hasn't done it since. Since your piggie is not wanting to be picked up (kicking you) he might be sore? It's never a bad thing to talk to your vet. Again, someone else probably has the answer, but this might give you someplace to start

I usually feed him treats when I hold him, but I have just been giving them to him while he is in his cage. But I don't give them to him when he is chewing on his bars. So you held your piggy for short amounts of time and put the piggy back in their cage before they started biting you? I think I will take him to the vet, I fear he may have mites or something. But I didn't even know you could or had to chew proof a cage so thank you for sharing. I don't know how to bond with him and get him used to me if I can't pick him up.

 

[GrassyPiggies]

Like @Piggies&buns said, if you think there is a chance your guinea pig is unwell, go see the vet. They also suggested your pig may be in a teenage phase which I think is a very good point. And yes, I basically held my guinea pig for short amounts of time and put him back before he started nibbling and the time he spent out of his cage became longer and longer as he got used to it. You sound like your doing the right thing feeding treats in the cage. If you have more questions, I'm sure the more experienced members on here will be happy to answer them

 

[Piggies&buns]

I usually feed him treats when I hold him, but I have just been giving them to him while he is in his cage. But I don't give them to him when he is chewing on his bars. So you held your piggy for short amounts of time and put the piggy back in their cage before they started biting you? I think I will take him to the vet, I fear he may have mites or something. But I didn't even know you could or had to chew proof a cage so thank you for sharing. I don't know how to bond with him and get him used to me if I can't pick him up.

Having him vet checked is a very good idea. Any sudden aggression can sometimes point to discomfort.

You don’t need to be picking him to bond with him though. The understanding prey animal guide I linked in has details on how to bond.
Not all piggies will like being picked up, most don’t, but some will learn to enjoy a some handling or stroking in time.

I have a great bond with my piggies, I don’t pick them up, I don’t give them lots of treats either.
Mine are only handled for the essential weekly weight and health checks because they simply don’t like to be sat and cuddled; they would rather be pottering around together. My enjoyment of them comes from sitting by or in their enclosure (they live in my shed), watching them interact with each other, talking to them. As long as they have a friend and a big pile of hay they are happy!
Again, the how to pick up and weigh your piggy guide explains the best way to pick up prey animals.

Piggies will chew bars for a variety of reasons. There aren’t chew proof cages as such if it is a barred cage. You can get solid but clear c&c panels Which they obviously cannot chew but you also can’t attach a bottle to it etc.

Commercial chew toys (the burger and fries etc) are generally ignored and don’t provide much for piggies - the general concensus is that they are a waste of money.

As he doesn’t have a friend, then getting him a piggy friend should be your next priority after checking he is medically well.

If you are going to just buy another piggy from a pet shop then you need to carry out the bonding correctly yourself - you must never just put a new piggy into your piggy’s cage as it will be seen as a territory invasion and cause a fight. Bonding must be done proper on neutral territory. This guide explains how to do it - Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
With boars is a one time event - they either like each other and can live together; or they don’t and can’t live together. This is why simply buying a piggy from a pet shop is a risk. You won’t know until you try the bonding and then need a plan b for living arrangements if it doesn’t work out.

Two piggies need to be character compatible to be able to form a bond, hierarchy and a successful relationship.
The safest way to find a new friend is with the help of a rescue centre as they can help you find a compatible friend for him with whom he does get on.
This is even more important as your piggy is coming up to being a teenager - his hormones are raging at this point so bonding can be harder. It’s not a reason to not get him a friend though - unfortunately as he has been alone since he was 4 weeks old he had already missed out on the essential formative weeks where he would have learnt how to socialize. It just means that you need to be very careful about finding the right friend for him.

You must ensure your cage is big enough for two boars to live in together. That is 180x60cm. Anything smaller won’t work for boars as they are more territorial and need lots of space. Lack of space can break a bond and cause fights. If you have a pet shop commercial cage at present then it isn’t likely big enough for two boars - most aren’t.
You also need to make sure you have two of every item in the cage ie two bottles, two hay piles. You will also need two hide houses and both houses must each have two doors. Any single entrance hide can risk one piggy being cornered inside it by the other which can cause problems. There must always be another way out if any hide for them

if you don’t have a rescue who can help you and have no choice but to buy a piggy from a shop, that is fine by it is important you are aware of the risks.
First, you must ensure both your piggies are indeed male. Pet shop missexing happens too often.
Secondly, because bonding is a one time event with boars, fingers crossed all would be well and they will bond, but if they don’t like each other, then they would need to be kept in separate but side by side cages with no physical contact but they must be able to interact through the bars to prevent loneliness in either of them.
In this case, each piggy must have a cage of 120x60cm to meet welfare requirements.

Journey through a Lifetime: The Ages of Guinea Pigs
Cage Size Guide