Licking

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Lexipiggie

Lexipiggie

Junior Guinea Pig
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So during lap time, one of our piggies (Oki) likes to stretch out and sometimes licks our fingers or hands.
It's not biting (don't worry she does bite if she mistakes us for food) but she's just using her tongue.
It's extremely cute but I was wondering whether it can mean anything or is not a good thing.
She has only been doing this for a couple of weeks now.
 
She might be licking the salt off your skin. Some of mine have been licking piggies and they will do it as a way of asking to go back to their cage.
 
My two used to lick when they were younger but now they like to sniff my fingers or nibble lightly on my skin, the nibbling freaks me out because one of them likes to cuddle into my neck and nibble and I'm paranoid she might nick my juggular lol.
 
Kylie80 said:
My two used to lick when they were younger but now they like to sniff my fingers or nibble lightly on my skin, the nibbling freaks me out because one of them likes to cuddle into my neck and nibble and I'm paranoid she might nick my juggular lol.
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We've had a couple of vampire guinea pigs!
 
Lexipiggie said:
So during lap time, one of our piggies (Oki) likes to stretch out and sometimes licks our fingers or hands.
It's not biting (don't worry she does bite if she mistakes us for food) but she's just using her tongue.
It's extremely cute but I was wondering whether it can mean anything or is not a good thing.
She has only been doing this for a couple of weeks now.
Click to expand...

It's likely the salt/minerals on your skin that she enjoys.
 
I've had some pigs that like to lick the humans- Sundae was the champion of this! She would basically wash your hands for you! I think it's partly affectionate (the kids call it piggy kisses) and partly because your skin tastes salty.
 
I would assume there would have to be a certain amount of trust involved, it took a few months for my piggies to warm up to me enough to try the licking and nibbling.
 
I'm fascinated by my pigs and when they choose to lick me! River is a natural "taster" and just wants to know what everything is, and therefore had been licking me since the first time I held her. Melody gives tentative little licks to new humans, but only really licks me (copiously) after I've been petting her, like mutual grooming. River does the "reciprocal" licking, too. It's interesting to try to and figure out their motivations, so different from my dogs' psychology.
 
I do notice when I introduce new foods one of my piggies will lick it a couple of times before eating it. The other piggy devours it as soon as I put it in the bowl. She wouldn't last long in the wild lol.
 
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