Chewing Bars?

Nbw_835

Nbw_835

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My guinea pig was in a glass tank for the first 4 and a half months of her life. I bult her a cage (a very large one) and all she does is chew on the bars like she wants out. Is this normal?

She has also started asking to be picked up and then biting and she screams loudly if I leave her alone and give her space for a day.
 
She is now acting like she is scared of me.... What am I doing wrong....? She wont come to me and if she does she bites... I don't want to rehome her but she seems to hate me and idk if she wants to be with me in my home....
 
It is EXTREMELY annoying that my boys do it all the time. They do it when they want something. Whether it be hay, pellets, or veg, they do it all the time. @Wiebke
 
I’m so pleased to hear she’s now in a large cage and not a tank as this is entirely the wrong environment for Guinea Pigs so well done on changing her home. Does she get out for lots of floor time so that she can run around and use up some of her energy? This can be one of the reasons she’s chewing the bars. If not, try making a safe area near her cage so that she can be out for a while - make sure she can’t get near any wires etc! If you look on here some of the posts have photos of piggies enjoying their floor time! If you are a bit nervous of her now try only lifting her out while she’s in a little nest or a tunnel - wait until she goes in - coax her in by placing a piece of her favourite food in the tunnel, place a hand at either end then lift up onto your knee, ch at softly to her the whole time so she knows what you are doing! Let her get used to this then offer her. A piece of food while on your knee in the tunnel. Just sounds sounds as if you need to re-establish the bond you had with her! Once you have got used to each other again it would be good to get her a friend as Piggies need the company of other pigs and this could help with the chewing!
 
Sorry to hear about your problems at the moment, I'm sure some of the more experienced users will be able to help you.

Although I would like to add that my boar Hero cage bites, but he only does it out of impatience for his food, it's mainly around feeding times he does this, but calms down
once he is fed. To me with my first two piggies I currently have, Bella my sow tends not to cage bite and doesn't even try to copy Hero. But I believe some do it to a certain degree,
in Hero's case I have accepted it as a part of his normal behaviour as it isn't in excess. Although I agree it can be rather annoying.

If it's of any help at all I have read up on the forum about guinea pigs and hate. As far as I'm aware guinea pigs don't know how to hate, the scared behaviour could be linked to their natural prey instinct,
in which they feel afraid of predators. They really don't have anything against you, they may be feeling a little nervous about something, but I can understand it can be hard to figure out why they react in
these ways.

I must say I am no expert when it comes to behaviour of piggy's but I hope some of that information might ease your mind, as I do understand what this is like.
 
I'm no expert but try to think about it from her perspective. She's had a home that she knew well and felt safe in, and now suddenly lives in a place she doesn't know and smells different. You have done totally the right thing for her, but just now she's probably scared and unfamiliar. She needs time to get used to it and to feel secure again, which I'm sure she will. I would try not to pick her up for a few days to let her settle in her fantastic new place, and I'm sure she will get back to her old self soon.
I agree that finding a friend for her would be a good move too.
 
Nbw_835 said:
My guinea pig was in a glass tank for the first 4 and a half months of her life. I bult her a cage (a very large one) and all she does is chew on the bars like she wants out. Is this normal?

She has also started asking to be picked up and then biting and she screams loudly if I leave her alone and give her space for a day.
Click to expand...

Hi!

Great that you have got her out of the fish tank!

If your guinea pig is a single, then what she is missing out most is companionship, so you are at the receiving end of attention-seeking behaviour and social dominance behaviour.
Take the time to read these guides here. They explain some of your piggy's behaviour and help you use a spot of guinea pig whispering to make friends with her. Please be aware that no guinea pig is born as a natural animated cuddly toy, but as a prey animal with the full prey animal instincts. Teaching them to to trust takes time and a lot of patience. Sadly shops do not care a bean about the welfare of the animals they sell.
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
" Biting" And What You Can Do
Companionship
(Before getting any more guinea pigs, please make sure of the gender of both piggies, that you read the bonding guides to prevent them from fighting and that you have got enough space for two).
 
She does it constantly. Even when she has a full bowl basket of hay and bowl of veggies. It might be the size change. She was in a 55 gallon tank and she is now in a cage three times the size. It could also be the new location of her cage its on the floor and her tank was on my dresser.

She has a leash and she gets floor time and outdoor time every day but in the past week or two she hasn't been able to go out its been cold and rainy.
 
Never known a guinea pig to be on a leash. Are you sure she’s actually liking that?
Please read all the info that @Wiebke has put up for you as it may help you understand the relationship between an Animal that thinks of itself as some other animals dinner and how then we humans then take care not to make them feel captured? I’d imagine being on a leash could feel like that to such a small animal.
 
Nbw_835 said:
Yep she is adorable on the leash.
Click to expand...

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT USE A LEASH on guinea pigs!
It can kill or badly injure your guinea pig's spine if it spooks.

Unlike ferrets for which the leash is appropriate, guinea pigs have a much less flexible spine than ferrets and they are prey animals with prey animal instincts. Leashes are simply a shop gimmick from those places that couldn't care less about animal welfare in order to make a quick buck out of an uninformed new owner.

We have had new members coming on here with badly injured guinea pigs that had to be put to sleep or after they have lost guinea pigs on leashes. Yes, it happens, and it takes very little that it could happen to your guinea pig, too. All it needs is seeing a hidey place it can escape to or a sudden noise to spook her.

How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
Potentially Dangerous Cage Accessories And Toys
 
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