Biting Humans Very Hard

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Martini

Martini

New Born Pup
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Jul 6, 2015
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Australia
Hi,

I've had my girl Martini for 2 months now and she's got everything a guinea pig could dream of. Her cage is cleaned regularly, there's always food about, she gets to have a run around everyday, she has hidey holes and toys and things to chew on; but recently she has taken to biting me and my clothes and not in the "wow you taste like food" way. I have very prominent marks on my hands and forearm where she's bitten me while getting cuddles, most times enough to draw blood. She also constantly bites and pulls my clothing. She always has somewhere to hide when we have lap time, but even from hiding she insists on biting me. I would understand if it was occasional, because she probably needs to relieve herself and wants to get back in the cage; but this is every time I pick her up.

I do pick her up and treat her very gently and as I said before she has things to chew on in her cage.

Any help with this?
 
I had a biter too, apparently it is quite rare! And when I say bite I mean bite, people often say their guineas nibble them or getting carried away when taking food, but Lune would give you a proper hard nip - I have a scar on my hand from one time when he bit me.
Lune had a skin condition and would bite hard when you touched him in his sore areas - he had to go to the vet quite often and we applied a topical treatment at home as well, and after the treatments he'd be much happier and much less likely to bite you. However, he got in the 'habit' of biting (my fault), so even when you weren't hurting him, he'd still bite and pull at your clothes - to say he wanted to be put back or to he wanted more food or whatever, it was a way for him to communicate.
Another thing, he very rarely bit if he was with his brother, if you had both of them for a cuddle, they seemed much happier - guinea pigs can bite when they are scared and being with his brother made him much, much less scared.

It might be worth having a look at Martini to see if she has any scuff on her fur - that was how we first noticed Lune had a skin condition. Does she have a cage mate? Is it worth seeing if she's any better when you pick them up together?

Biting is a way of communicating, you just have to figure out what Martini is trying to say!
 
Thanks for the help, that link is very useful. :) We're back on alright terms now. I let her nibble on my nails (i think she thinks she's grooming me) and thats curbed the hard biting for now. She doesn't have any skin or fur problems, but I do think she wants a cage mate as she came to me by herself. I'm just now worried about adding another sow in as i don't have the space to quarantine the new piggy and I don't know how martini will react If I put her straight in.
 
Martini said:
Thanks for the help, that link is very useful. :) We're back on alright terms now. I let her nibble on my nails (i think she thinks she's grooming me) and thats curbed the hard biting for now. She doesn't have any skin or fur problems, but I do think she wants a cage mate as she came to me by herself. I'm just now worried about adding another sow in as i don't have the space to quarantine the new piggy and I don't know how martini will react If I put her straight in.
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Where are you located? Could you please add your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can always tailor any recommendations and advice to what is possible and available where you are.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...cation-and-creating-an-avatar-picture.107444/

We have got a recommended UK rescue locator on the top bar, but can also provide a link to recommended good standard rescues in other countries. All these rescues have a mandatory quarantine and pregnancy watch, so you don't run any risks. If available, you could also look at neutered boars to pair up with a sow.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/
http://www.guinealynx.info/rescues.html (for countries other than the UK)
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-sows-or-mixed-pairs-babies-or-adults.108944/

You can wave a quarantine if you don't have access to a good rescue, but you have to be ready to then treat both piggies for any issues that come up.
 
Wiebke said:
Where are you located? Could you please add your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can always tailor any recommendations and advice to what is possible and available where you are.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...cation-and-creating-an-avatar-picture.107444/

We have got a recommended UK rescue locator on the top bar, but can also provide a link to recommended good standard rescues in other countries. All these rescues have a mandatory quarantine and pregnancy watch, so you don't run any risks. If available, you could also look at neutered boars to pair up with a sow.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/
http://www.guinealynx.info/rescues.html (for countries other than the UK)
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-sows-or-mixed-pairs-babies-or-adults.108944/

You can wave a quarantine if you don't have access to a good rescue, but you have to be ready to then treat both piggies for any issues that come up.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'm from NSW in Australia. I've been searching through rescues here but they mainly either have unneutered boars or pairs of them :(

I might have to keep a look out. Thanks again for the help.
 
Martini said:
Thanks, I'm from NSW in Australia. I've been searching through rescues here but they mainly either have unneutered boars or pairs of them :(

I might have to keep a look out. Thanks again for the help.
Click to expand...

The availability of neutered boars depends on the cost of the operation - which is very high in Australia, similar to the US and Canada, so you are much less likely to find a neutered boar in those countries. Things like these are one of the reasons why adding your location is helpful, including being able to take your climate into account, as well as medical brands that are available in different countries etc.
 
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