my boy continues to bite me

[ellent1974]

Hi All,

I am getting really discouraged. I love my piggie SO MUCH and he loves me too, but then there's just these random times when he bites me and that really upsets me! I know it's instinctual for them, but I just don't get it. A lot of owners say their GP's have NEVER bitten and all the literature says they're not biters.
Jasper is between 9-10 mos. old. The biting is improving - especially over the last couple months, but I am so sad when we have come SO FAR and then he decides to bite my hand. And not just once; he's ******. He keeps going at it, like to attack me. He gets ******. And I know he is reacting out of fear and I am trying to humanize his actions. BUt my main point is just to either find out if a) it is normal at that age (but seems more than normal, exploratory biting!) and b) what else can I do to desensitize him to not be so afraid and eventually not bite his mommy?
He comes out a minimum of 3 hours a day for play and naps. He is a very happy boy, and popcorns all over the place and makes happy noises constantly. He has a huge four foot by three foot cage. He is very spoiled and gets whatever he wants (LOL). I just started taking him with me around the house more- I know that is one way to make them less afraid. I have a pouch that I use, but it's getting too small for him so I stopped doing it for a while until I get a bigger one made. So when we go in this play room that I have cleared out for him, I never leave him unsupervised, but yet give him plenty of "alone time" that he needs, so I don't overwhelm him.
I pet him and he purrs and wants to be by me, but not for long. He wants to run and skedaddle out of there - pretty much ASAP. I know he is not a dog or cat, so I am not expecting him to hang out and cuddle with me, but I have read that GP's love to be held and pet. He reaches his limit very quickly, and bites me. That has gotten so much better, but it still occurs. I make a short blunt noise "AH-AH" when he bites me and that makes him stop. I've seen progress in situations where in the past he would have bitten me, but holds back. So I know I am seeing progress. BUT- he still continues to bite me at least once a day,
(maybe every other day).
I don't want another piggie- cuz I know sometimes people say that is a solution, but don't want to clean up double the mess, (his mess is enough for me)!
Should I just keep conditioning him, bringing him with me everywhere, holding him, handling him, etc.?
Also, when he squeaks (not purring) but kind of the "where am i?" squeaks, is it ok to keep him in a situation where he doesn't want to be? I mean that's how we condition them to new things, right? Probably just in moderation if he is afraid. I am probably answering all my questions myself (haha), but I guess I would like opinions on how to condition him better and to STOP the damn biting! It makes me saddddddddddddddddddd!!

PS- i noticed he is licking me more (but i think it's for salt)

PSS- and no, he is not mistaking my fingers for food. he is specifically biting me cuz he gets mad at me reaching in for him or petting him too much. (but even if they reach their limit, I thought they weren't supposed to be biters!)

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

i have had two biters! one of them i had to have a tetanus jab just in case!

I cant give you any advice because as far as i am concerned if they bite they bite its just one of those things.

Welcome to the forum x

 

[ellent1974]

biting

Thank you so much! It's improved, I just hope it gets better. I don't want him to bite me as an adult!

 

[squeakysmallpaws]

Hi,

Have you checked his coat? I know this has been going on a while so probably not the reason but one of my guinea pigs bite me (and boy did it hurt) I discovered the reason was that he had a skin infection - it was hurting him when I stroked him.

My piggies don't like to be held, but love a really good ear rub. They're still young though.

I understand that you don't want to get another guinea pig because of the mess but I have two and it's really no more cleaning. You still have to clean the home out for one piggy, two doesn't make it more cleaning if they are living together. Getting more in seperate cages would, but not two together.

I know you don't want to read this, but he really does need a friend and this could have a positive effect on the biting.

Please read the information on the website. http://www.cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm;

xx

 

[TAN]

My Bumble gives me the occasional warning bite if I am stroking him somewhere sensitive that he doesnt like - and my girls give the occasional nip to let me know they need a wee or want to go back into their cage - but please be assured another piggy would be hardly any more work for you and just the best thing you could do for your piggy .

 

[Stacey]

One of my boys bites me if he can smell one of my other boys of me - Its almost as if he thinks ive cheated on him and I'm getting into trouble.
They bite at our clothes if they need a pee or want to go back in their cage and will always try and bite if they get their nails cut.

I have to agree with the comments about getting him a friend. I believe guinea pigs dont have to have a cage mate but they do need the company of their own kind. My boys all live in seperate cages due to fighting and are perfectly happy being on their own, but they are all side by side and still have the company of each other, they just cant hurt each other.

Having two guinea pigs isnt going to much different than having one.

 

[ellent1974]

do you guys know if it is better to get a baby pig vs. an adult pig? because i think if i'm going to get another, i would definitely go to a rescue this time. they don't really ever have babies that i've seen. what do * think?

 

[Poison]

If he's a boy, you'd have more success with bonding him with a baby boar. And rescues often get unwanted litters in, or pregnant sows that end up having their babies there. Just call them and ask if they have any baby boars in.

And Rocky does this to me, I know it's cus he needs a wee though. I'll be cuddling him, and he'll start gnawing my wrist bone when he's had enough and wants to go back in, I literally have a permanent scar on my left wrist from it being chewed!