How to tell the difference between a bite of curiosity and a bite of aggression?

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kat04kt

kat04kt

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So you might of guessed it. Manny bite me!

Again surprisingly he wasn't clawing to get away from me when I first took him out, he was a little wiggly but not as bad as he has been. At one point I thought he might be enjoying his stroke.

He was clearly looking for Floyd unfortunately, I just don't have the hands for two at a time - not after Manny's escape yesterday!

So he was trying to climb on top of my hand which I was using as a barrier to stop him running off, he took a step back and then...... took a bite at the fleshy part under my thumb.

Firstly, I think, big clap to me, for not reacting! Obviously with human instinct I took my hand away quickly but other than that I didn't make any big movements and I didn't put him back. I kept him for another couple of minutes still stroking him and talking soothingly. I don't want him learning that biting gets you put back!

He didn't draw blood.

How can I tell the difference between a nip of curiosity and an agressive bite?

xx
 
How much did it hurt? My instinct tells me this was just a curious nibble which all piggies do. They seem to like nibbling and tasting you which I find funny. It could possibly have been an annoyed nip because he was anxious and wanted to be put back. I have never had a female piggy do this to me before but Tufty has done it a few time when carrying him back to the hutch and he has been wriggling and panicking. It wasn't hard enough for me to drop him but it was enough for me to jump. I think maybe just more bonding time will help stop it happening in future. I find guineapigs rarely bite and if they mean't it then you'd know because you would definately bleed.
 
This is a good sign! It shows that he is comfortable enough with you to show you what he does (and doesn't) want. He's just testing the boundaries. Well done for staying calm and carrying on stroking him. That was just the right thing to do. :)

I have once been bitten in aggression by an unhappy/ scared rescue pig. It was alarming and very painful, and I hope neither of us goes through it again. You would definitely know if a pig bit you and meant it.
 
In my experience the only time a non-agressive bite will draw blood is when piggle ( Rocket in this case ) decides to try nibbling your wedding ring and accidentally gets a pinch of skin between the teeth instead of ring! Ouch! Luckily I managed to restrain my reaction and we are still on snuggle terms as he's only just building up the courage to trust me. :)
Moonpig does affectionately nibble my nose and if I don't flinch I am eventually rewarded with piggy kisses. :(|)
 
Pig nibbles me all the time, but he is always very gentle and has never hurt me. He did bite a vet once recently though - he didn't draw blood but did make the vet exclaim, so I assumed it was a warning nip. With me I think it is more of a "hmm, what does this taste like?" nibble. Like others have said, I think if it hurts or draws blood it was probably intentional!
 
He nipped me again, this time my finger. Again it didn't draw blood, but both times it has hurt pretty bad (I could be a whimp though). This time I did react, and cried out to my boyfriend to get him when he ran off.

My boyfriend folded up the duvet so he couldn't escape while he got pigloo, when he pulled the duvet back, Manny had his face in the biscuit treats that I'd put out on the bed!

So I'm beginning to think these are warning nips that he's unhappy but like the idea that this means he trusts a bit more. I don't understand where the piggy that I went to visit, who would sit on my knee and purr and munch on cabbage, has gone.

Feeling very deflated again :(

Two nips in one night, I must be the worse piggy slave ever 8...
 
p.s. it might be worth mentioning that I've noticed both of them scratching a little, and also I've seen Manny biting at his fur a couple of times.

Plus he seems to be rumbling alot when he's in his cage.

I'm still trying to determine what's normal behaviour for them and what needs more attention.
 
No, you're a great slave because you care so much to get it right. xx>>>

I get nipped a lot. Two of my pigs are biters- Flumpet and Joe will both tell me when they don't want to be held anymore (in Flumpet's case, that's as soon as the parsley has all gone :(|) ). I don't put them down straight away but I don't make them stay for long cuddles. Yet Flumpet loves a scritch when she is in her cage- she comes over so I can scritch behind her ears and down her shoulders, then she lays down and stretches her back legs out. xx>>>
Minx always bites me when I'm sorting her bottom hair out. She bit my stomach once (because I was holding her against my body whilst I eased out a clump of grease) and left teeny teeth marks.
Even though I get the odd nibble (and it does hurt sometimes) I am confident that my pigs are happy overall- they just want to tell me when I'm doing something they don't like. They chatter at me too- if I'm not quick enough with dinner or if I'm herding them into a corner to pick them up.
But I know they feel confident around me- if I lie or sit on the floor, they will run round me and push me out of the way.

Then there's the pigs at the rescue where I volunteer. Whiskey bites me pretty much every time I pick him up (but I still adore him), yet Jenny says he never bites her. I don't take it personally though. :)) Often I am cutting nails and doing health checks though, so I think he just likes to get in there first.

Hang on in there. xx
 
kat04kt said:
p.s. it might be worth mentioning that I've noticed both of them scratching a little, and also I've seen Manny biting at his fur a couple of times.
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It is worth keeping an eye on this as they could have mites. Have you noticed if they are particularly sensitive when you touch their backs?

If the scratching becomes intense then you should take them to a vets. :)
 
One of my piggies, Rex the one that only lasts about 10 mins for lap time, will lie stretched out for a while, (so he does like lap time in small doses) but then start wriggling if he needs a wee and a couple of times has given a little nip as his warning to put him back in his cage for the loo. We know this is his warning as twice he has weed on my son as we ignorned the warnings, now he goes straight back in if he gets too figity. He has never used any agression. Are other piggie Ron will lie down for lap time and never wriggles, just makes him self comfy and keeps his legs crossed :) !

Maybe your piggie needed a wee too? !
 
Hi. Dotty one of my old girls is a bit of a nibbler - not me, but she nibbles my husband. I think she is testing out what he tastes like! (There is no accounting for taste I suppose!) She one bit him on the nipple when we were clipping her claws, but it was his fault as he was holding her with his shirt off! It made his eyes water though - it was so funny! I have never seen him look so shocked! Its making me giggle now thinking about it! ha ha

My 2 younger girls Betty and Mavis are quite nibbly, but again I think it is only high jinks and testing us out. They are a lot more nibbly full stop. Everything gets tested out by them - the carpet, radiator everything!! I have also found out that by washing my hands before picking them up sometimes helps, especially after cleaning them out and after handling fresh hay, food etc

Bee
 
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