Guinness bit me

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1stTimePiggieOwner

1stTimePiggieOwner

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As in the title really, this morning I was having a cuddle with Guinness and he bit my finger. This is the first time he's done this, I wasn't moving him around or teasing him or anything, I was simly sitting with him on my chest stroking him.

Now I feel really sad, any idea's why he might have bit me? I hate to think I've done something wrong or made him feel threatened in any way:(

x
 
had you been chopping veg? he might have thought you were food?
 
oh, i had chopped some veg earlier in the morning but had washed my hands since but I guess there could still have ben the scent on my fingers? I didn't think of that, my hamster has once had a nibble at my fingers after I'd been eating chocolate so I know it does happen.

That makes me feel a bit better, thanks. x
 
Thats a shame. Try not to take it to heart. Ive had several nips from my boys but it may just have been a moment of panic and instinct on their part. I dont think Guinness will have meant to bite you. One of my girls is rather enthusiastic when I give her a veggie treat and I have to be very wary as she has often caught my finger when snatching a bit of carrot!
 
Perhaps he was trying to tell you that he needed to pee urgently?
 
:x>>>

my guinea pig Gertie once did that. She pulled my top a few times ( i thought she was being playful). She then nipped me as I tickled her ( I thought she was being a little ...). Then I learnt what it meant.....she peed on me - a lot!:))

Lesson learnt.
 
I guess he could have been saying he needed a wee, when he did it, I said "ouch" and put him straight into the run, then went to run my finger under the tap as he'd caught me under my nail so it hurt a bit so I didn't see whether he went for a wee or not.

Bailey has wee'd on me before as I mis-read the signs, I now understand him when he needs a wee as he starts to fidget and pushes my hands away as I stroke him.

As long as it's not my fault, I'm ok, I just hate to think I've upset him.

Thanks x
 
It is very upsetting when this happens, my Phoebe has nipped me before. I think he probably just needed a wee and was desperate not to wee on mum!
 
:...:(:{

He's now bit my partner today too, a coupld of times! The first time, my partner (Pete) had been eating crisps so I think more fool Pete really. But the second time, he'd only just got him out of the cage and sat on the sofa and he started pushing his hand away when he stroked him and then he nipped him, so Pete re-positioned him on his lap and then he did the same thing again.

It's funny because I thought that Bailey would have been the fiesty one, he's the one that started off more nervous and jumpy and he's the one that still HATES being caught but once on our laps, he sits quite contentedly being stroked until he gets fidgetty and then I put him back as I think he needs the loo. But Guinness, he's fine about being caught but once on our laps he often is quite fidgetty but I thought this was just being inquisative sniffing around until he started nipping us, now I'm not so sure. He's very squeky when on our laps too.

I wish the piggies could talk and tell me what they want/need, I really am still struggling with intepreting the noises 4 weeks after bringing them home. Is this normal or am I just not getting it?

Feel a bit of a bad piggy mummy right now.

x
 
Perhaps he just doesn't like to be petted. My Llewlelyn, for example, simply doesnt! (He doesn't bit me, but another one did).

You can try to tell him off by GENTLY tugging on the back of his neck like a piggy mommy chastising her baby. That way, you achieve two things - he's done wrong and you are the dominant one. Plus you tell him in his own language. Part of the biting is about dominance over you.

Do not shout at a piggy. It doesn't achieve anything. Tell him no! in a firm tone. If he has bitten you, carry on like nothing has happened, so he doesn't get any confirmation of success. (That takes some doing, I know only too well!). Eventually, I got my biter to bite only when she had good reason for complaining (like being manhandled for another round of baytril), and she only nipped, not bit any longer.
 
Thanks for that Weibke.

My partner told him no and re-positioned him but he did it again anyway but perhaps with some more persistance we will win the battle. I'd never shout at them, I'm too soft to shout at anything/anyone, I'm really not very assertive.

I'm so shocked it's him doing the biting, I would have put money on it being Bailey if one of them was going to do it! It just feels a little...disheartening. We'd made so much progess with them and now it feels like we've gone backwards a little bit.

Thank you again. x
 
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