Biting - new sow

[Vicky2021]

Hi all,

I have a new sow, she’s just over one years old. She was neglected previously in terms of socially but has adjusted in my home and is generally very happy & confident. Only been a couple of months.

The issue I’m having is….she lets me stroke her her, but if she can get a grip of a finger she will, she hasn’t broken skin so far but she will bite and not let go of your finger to the point it goes bright red and it can be quite painful. I think she could potentially break skin. Is there a way to prevent this? What causes her to do this?
I thought it might be a loving bite/nibble but actually it’s quite painful. I don’t reward her after doing that but I don’t know what to do. All my other guinea pigs will lick/nibble or just sniff but she can bite quite hard.

I'm very sociable with them all, they’re in my front room with me so they get conversation all the time, she hears my voice, stands up on the side of the cage then sniffs me but then bites down.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all,

I have a new sow, she’s just over one years old. She was neglected previously in terms of socially but has adjusted in my home and is generally very happy & confident. Only been a couple of months.

The issue I’m having is….she lets me stroke her her, but if she can get a grip of a finger she will, she hasn’t broken skin so far but she will bite and not let go of your finger to the point it goes bright red and it can be quite painful. I think she could potentially break skin. Is there a way to prevent this? What causes her to do this?
I thought it might be a loving bite/nibble but actually it’s quite painful. I don’t reward her after doing that but I don’t know what to do. All my other guinea pigs will lick/nibble or just sniff but she can bite quite hard.

I'm very sociable with them all, they’re in my front room with me so they get conversation all the time, she hears my voice, stands up on the side of the cage then sniffs me but then bites down.

Hi and welcome

You may want to try our piggy whispering tricks! Because they mimic how social savvy piggies deal with their own mates, they are surprisingly effective because you are presenting the issue in their social framing and with their own key behaviours, so you are making instant and imminent sense.

Make sure that you firstly invite your newbie into your own herd and assure her that she is welcome. This gives her an identity and also a relationship with you as the dominant herd leader.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

Who is the Boss - Your Guinea Pig or You? (including how to deal with piggies that are showing behaviours like tweaking you do not want to see)

More about the different forms and meanings of 'biting': " Biting" And What You Can Do (Biting, Tweaking, Nibbling and Nipping)

Fear-aggression and fear-aggressive behaviours:
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

I got my Brathlys to stop biting my hands within a couple of weeks after a half a year in rescue had not brought any improvement - and also got her to bond with a neutered boar within 2 months... Poor girl, she was frightened stiff and fear-aggressive because of that. Underneath is a very timid, traumatised, gentle soul who was found left in a winter garden weeks after her owners had moved out and taken the hutch with them - not that they can't have been gentle with her!

Anyway, I hope that the information in the links above will help you to solve the problem and also to understand where your girl is coming from and what is behind her tweaking.