Biting like mad

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cazzabazz

My guineapig Toby is being a complete pain at the moment - he's fine in his cage when I stroke him, but when I'm holding him he goes out of his way to bite me, even twisting his body into all kinds of contortions to try & find a bit of skin to sink his teeth into (even if I wear gloves, he just climbs up & bites my chin). By the way, he doesn't have mites, as he's been checked by a vet.

I got him from a pet shop when he was 5 months old, and he's 14 months old now. He used to be OK, but he had a bladder infection a while ago (during which time he was as docile as anything), but since then, he's changed - he no longer does his trick of jumping up the stairs, and he physically hurts me whenever he can now. I've been thinking maybe he's sexually frustrated because I got a female guineapig a few weeks ago, who he can sometimes hear squeaking, (which sets him off squeaking too), but I can't put her in with him yet as she's too small. I'm hoping when they do get together that she'll calm him down, but she's quite lively so I'm worried it'll have the opposite effect and he'll turn her into a biter too.

Any suggestions will be more than welcome - it upsets me that he hates me! :(
 
Okay so...I take it if you want to put him in with a girly hes neutered? That wouldnt make him more aggresive..is it the way you are holding him? ?

Some piggies do bite sometimes, it can be if they need a toilet but dont want to go on you, if you have taken him away from food and hes hungry, or woken him up!

Also, if you are nervous while you are picking him up and going up to his cage he could sense that and it will make him nervous too! :)

If he had a friend it would probbably make him a better and more rounded pig, as you know, they dont like living alone! :smitten:

Maybe after being ill he needs tim to adjust again? and to get used to you all over again? :-\

I very much doubt he hates you, and I'm sure in time this wont be so much of a problem O0
 
No, he's not neutered - when they're put together, I'm hoping they'll have babies. I've had guineapigs for the last 17 years, and have always had a male and female together, and bred them. I've never had this problem before, as all my previous ones have been really placid and would lick, but never bite.

I guess only time will tell - I used to think he only bit when he needed the toilet, but he does it straightaway now whenever he's taken out, and it's not because he's hungry either, because I always give him food a short while beforehand. I try & cuddle him, but he just wriggles on my lap & tries to grab my hand (or any other body part) with his teeth. I try and give him as much attention as possible, but nothing seems to work. In a few weeks my other guineapig with hopefully be big enough to go in with him, so I just hope some company settles him down.
 
Well on & off. Most of the couples have had 3 or 4 litters and then stopped, but the last male & female we had only had one lot and then never had any more for the rest of the 4 years they were together. I'm unsure as to why people think letting an unneutered male be with a female is bad?
 
cazzabazz said:
Well on & off. Most of the couples have had 3 or 4 litters and then stopped, but the last male & female we had only had one lot and then never had any more for the rest of the 4 years they were together. I'm unsure as to why people think letting an unneutered male be with a female is bad?
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3 - 4litters per female?!?!?
 
♥Ali-loves-piggies♥ said:
3 - 4litters per female?!?!?
Click to expand...

Generally 3 small litters in their lifetime. Our guineapigs have always lived until around the age of 5, so there haven't been too many babies. Most of the babies went to friends, who always kept us updated on how the pigs were doing, and the rest went to a very reputable pet shop, who always make sure any prospective owners have the necessary equipment and the best interest of the guineapig at heart. The two I have now were from there & the staff take the welfare of each guineapig very seriously.
 
cazzabazz said:
Well on & off. Most of the couples have had 3 or 4 litters and then stopped, but the last male & female we had only had one lot and then never had any more for the rest of the 4 years they were together. I'm unsure as to why people think letting an unneutered male be with a female is bad?
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That is horrible!
You guinea pigs did not chose to have babies, you made them!
I'm sorry but i think you have become a member of the wrong forum.
 
if I ever do let my girls breed its only 1 litter and I often wait years before i find a good match temprement wise and health wise ( ie no health issues) I waited 2 years to find a male rex and had a perfect white rex for him they had 2 girls in jan who are both treasured adored and will live with me until they die, some girls on here wont accept breeding of any sort so might be best not to chat about it, but there are some like me who dont mind certain types of breeding like i do, just depends on who comes on to chat about it so be warned ;)
I dont agree with 3 to 4 litters per female I must admit, do you keep the babies ?
and a tip I always use with scatty pigs like Toby is to wrap him in a blanket or towel to make him feel secure then walk around and talk to him ( mine get a tour of the garden) good luck
 
Alison said:
cazzabazz said:
Well on & off. Most of the couples have had 3 or 4 litters and then stopped, but the last male & female we had only had one lot and then never had any more for the rest of the 4 years they were together. I'm unsure as to why people think letting an unneutered male be with a female is bad?
Click to expand...

That is horrible!
You guinea pigs did not chose to have babies, you made them!
I'm sorry but i think you have become a member of the wrong forum.
Click to expand...


oh my... :o ?
thats so unfair on the female
 
I agree....unless you are breeding some guinea for show in my opinion you are basically a backyard breeder.

Sorry to sound harsh but if your friends/family or people you know want piggies why not direct them to a rescue instead of adding to amount of poor rescue piggies desperatly needing new homes?

Michelle, I really have nothing against what you do but I hate people that just breed for the sake of it! If the temprement of the pigs or the way they look is something special, like you wait for, it makes sense, but people that breed your 'standard' guineas I just dont get as there are so so many out there without homes! :(
 
I think everyone who hasn't got anything to say about the biting problem should leave this topic alone. Nastiness is not a nice thing.
 
No-one is being nasty :)

If people spent some time looking around the forum they would see that this is a very pro rescue forum and not mention things about breeding :)
 
She probably doesn't know that. The only other guinea pig owners I knew used to breed them, and I for one have never heard of any guinea pig rescue centres - that's why mine was from a pet shop. I know they have guinea pigs in garden centres too, but they're just glorified pet shops I think. Maybe there just aren't any rescue centres in my area, but if there are, they certainly don't make people aware of them.
 
Like I said if you read a bit before posting, its quite clear  :)

Thats why there are forums like this; to create awareness :)

And welcome to the forum! :D
 
I apologise for my comment earlier and you are welcome on this site but you must understand that their are a lot of people won't agree with what you are doing.
 
now she well and truly knows now, be nice everyone , of course she is welcome to this forum , please keep it friendly and I agree not every area do have rescue centers or dont advertise them, I have this exact problem living where i do we dont have any , to be honest most peoples first sight of a guinea pig is a pet shop only if they come on forums like this are they made aware of rescues , so dont go moaning at those who do buy them from pet shops etc, they learn from experience, some of mine come from pet shops, and I dont apologise at all we dont have a rescue here although some of mine have been rescued from individuals who let it be known to some one who knows me , so please no more , cazzabazz you are very welcome but any talk about breeding i would keep to your self or on a forum that is fine with it , ;)
 
I am locking this thread as it has gone off track.

Please remember our rules about breeding discussion but also the need to be polite and civil. Some of the comments on this thread are unneccessary...

If you would like to start a new thread to discuss the biting problem please go ahead.

PM me if there are any queries.

Kate
 
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