How Do I Stop A Biting Guinea Piggy ?

[Momawhite]

Hi, I'm new and I guess this subject has been covered 101 times before but I need help and I'm hopeful someone out there can give it. I am not new to owing Guinea pigs however, I had them as a child and as a mum to 2 young sons we had a couple.
I have 2 5 month old adorable girlie piggies who's names are Pepper ( named by my Grandson ) and Nutmeg. They are both housed together and get along fine for 99% of the time..."time of the month" gets a bit fractious.
We took all steps to gradually introduce the girlies to our family life, they have been handled regularly throughout the day and given everything a Guniea pig needs. But my problem is Nutmeg, she bites me... Only me! My husband handles her and he doesn't get bitten a friend "piggy sat" them while we were in London and Nutmeg didn't once bite her..... So what am I doing wrong? I've tried "manning up" and taking it, I've tried yelping in the hope the noise shocks her to letting go, please does anyone have any tips or advise? Of all the Guinea pigs I've owned in the past I've never had one bite me before.
Help
Thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

You may find the tips in this guide here helpful. Yiu are getting tweaked because your girl is trusting you enough to make her feelings known. Now it is your task to establish yourself as top pig and tell her what is done and what is not done in "your" group in guinea pig language to get it across to her. Establish your dominance (see guides) and then be calm and disapproving.Don't yelp (that means that she is successful), but don't hit her etc. either. If you have established that you are the top pig, then a simple "uh-uh-uh" will do to wean her off a bad habit fairly quickly.
All Kinds Of Biting And What You Can Do
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language

 

[Momawhite]

Thank you, I will have a read, I only tried yelping because I'd read somewhere to do so, I'd never hit my Guinea pigs either but I need to sort this problem. I'll go and have a read and practice what I learn.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, I will have a read, I only tried yelping because I'd read somewhere to do so, I'd never hit my Guinea pigs either but I need to sort this problem. I'll go and have a read and practice what I learn.

I prefer to use understanding and replication guinea pig behaviour as much as possible - if you want to be posh, you can call it "guinea Pig whispering"!