Bonding With A Biter :( Help Needed!

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Joeykins

Joeykins

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Our two wonderful girls have been with us for 4 months now and we love them dearly, but I'm having trouble with Daisy!

I know all piggies aren't big fans of handling generally as it's scary and stressful, but I'm having a really hard time with Daisy. Buttercup (the dominant one) is ok when being held, she tricky to catch but once you have her she settles down, vocalises - although I'm not sure if it's a purr or a whine it sounds in between the two. Daisy generally seems happy, she popcorns and hand feeds and is generally content, but if you pick her up, she bites. She bites big time!

No warning, no rumbling or chattering or any body language, she actively seeks out skin, usually by climbing my front) and bites - hard - breaking the skin most times. I'm covered in war wounds :( she bites within seconds of being picked up, I'm still working on taming them both so I try and handle them regularly and spend non-handling time with them too. She seems perfectly happy and healthy apart from this slightly vampire-like tendency! Does anyone have any tips? Should I persist with handling or just accept that she is not a 'holder' and keep it to a minimum?

Xx
 
Has she always done it or has it just started happening recently?

Are you touching her back at all when she does it?

Some pigs are biters (@sport_billy has one) but I just want to check there is not a mange mite problem as this can make them try to take a chunk out of you when you touch their back.
 
She's always done it, I was hoping it would ease off once she got used to me. She seems so happy otherwise. I've just had a look at her and checked under her fur on her back, it's clear and her skin isn't inflamed or flaky.

She doesn't struggle when being handled and then bite, she is completely calm otherwise, she bites out of the blue x
 
Have you tried to train your girls to come into a pick-up conveyance of some sort, so you can neatly avoid the tricky situation? https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/videos/

It may take a bit of time, but it is well worth it! I recommend using little veg, herb or grass treats to lure the girls in. Be lavish with your praise and always use the same words/tone to create a ritual.
 
I've tried using a tube to pick them up, works great with Buttercup, Daisy will calmly come out of the tube onto my lap, then shimmy up my front and bite me. Ditto with cuddle sacks.

Both girls LOVE coriander - so that is a regular handling 'treat' and they only get it during handling, or have it handfed by my daughter. Buttercup seems to think it grows out of my cleavage and will always check........ Daisy will eat the coriander, then bite me when it's run out........ X
 
Could you try to establish your authority on her. The friendliest way is by gently licking and nibbling her ear. This means "I invite you to be part of the herd I am leading". A less friendly way to blow gently(!) on her nose after a bite; piggies don't like it.
 
One of mine would bite every time I handled him he was also tricky to catch but happy and settled once he was sitting on my lap, I found out on here about training them to go in a tunnel (via the link wiebke has posted I think) my little fella is getting the hang of this slowly but he's also hardly biting anymore with regular handling we both know when he's had enough of a cuddle as I get a strong bite if to say enough is enough pop my down now :)
 
I seem to be having the same issue with my piggy Sophie. However for me a lot of times she will lick me on my fingers. When she is doing this I know she is at least content. I'm hoping for my case it's when she wants left alone is when she bites.

Hope things work out fiyt you friend :)
 
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