I got a male guinea pig last November, and since then he has shown many signs of aggression every single time I take him out of his cage to socialize or pet him. Even if I'm not even touching him, he'll chatter his teeth and shake. If I pet him he yawns to show his teeth which I've heard is aggressive and the hair on his neck sticks up. He also bumps my hand with his head if I pet him. Hes always aggressive and anxious when I take him out, even if there's nothing in the room to make him freak out. I love him but he hates me and I'd love if I could win him over, does anyone know how I can make him stop hating me?
My Guinea Pig Hates Me
- Thread starter Jenny w
- Start date
Hi and welcome to the forum.
Firstly it is important that you understand that your guinea pig most certainly does not hate you.
He is anxious and overwhelmed and you might find the tips in this thread helpful:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Does your boy live on his own?
Guinea pigs really benefit from companionship, and having a friend might help your boy to feel less threatened and nervous.
Also what sort of cage is he in?
Does he have plenty of 'safe' areas (houses, covered parts of the cage) where he can hide?
But with guinea pigs it is mostly just a matter of being patient and spending a lot of time rewarding all signs of friendly behavior with small pieces of fresh veg.
Good luck and don't forget to let us know how you get on.
Firstly it is important that you understand that your guinea pig most certainly does not hate you.
He is anxious and overwhelmed and you might find the tips in this thread helpful:
How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?
Does your boy live on his own?
Guinea pigs really benefit from companionship, and having a friend might help your boy to feel less threatened and nervous.
Also what sort of cage is he in?
Does he have plenty of 'safe' areas (houses, covered parts of the cage) where he can hide?
But with guinea pigs it is mostly just a matter of being patient and spending a lot of time rewarding all signs of friendly behavior with small pieces of fresh veg.
Good luck and don't forget to let us know how you get on.
Hi!
In addition to the guide @Swissgreys has linked in, these two other guides will also help you to interact and understand your boy; they follow on from the first one.
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Guinea pigs are prey animals that live in groups; they are unfortunately not natural animated cuddly toys like the many cute videos online seem to suggest. Try your best to not behave like predator and interact with him in way that he can understand instinctively. Give him respect and his private room and treat him as a personality and no as pet. Once he realises that you are not out to get him, he will slowly come round.
The biggest favour you could do him is to get him same species company - even if it is another already single piggy in an adjoining cage for mutual stimulation and interaction. Bonding guinea pigs and finding a suitable companion is not just simply sticking a baby in his cage. Guinea pigs have a much more differentiated social life and interaction than previously assumed. Companionship
Lots more information via this link here: New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice
My guinea pig does live on his own and I'd love to get him a companion but my mom doesn't want me to, if I did get one, would it be better to get a male or a female? And his cage is kind of small since I got it from a pet store so I'm getting him a new, much bigger cage next week and I'm going to work on building a large space for him to play around in during floor time. Thanks for you help! I'm glad he doesn't hate me
TheLottiediarys
Teenage Guinea Pig
Is it possible he has a illness that is making him act this way?
Maybe if he has mites, sore skin or painful lumps it could be causing pain when you pet him and that could be making him act this way?
Maybe if he has mites, sore skin or painful lumps it could be causing pain when you pet him and that could be making him act this way?
Please make sure that your boy has got enough space and a good quality home before thinking about other guinea pigs.
See whether our tips work in bringing him round. It is going to take some weeks and is not quite a very quick process.
Always go for same sex piggies! Please ask our advice again before you go out an buy one.
Here are some more tips on how you can enhance his quality of life with some simple ideas that don't cost money but are a surefire hit with piggies.
Guinea Pig Toys
Potentially Dangerous Cage Accessories And Toys
Make sure that he has access to unlimited hay at all times; it should make 80% of the daily food intake. Here is our diet guide; it tells you exactly what you can feed, how much and how often. A good diet is important for good health and a longer life.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
Lady Kelly
Senior Guinea Pig
Unless he is already neutered your only option would be to get him a male to live with. Piggy pairings can be tricky and we would always recommend visiting a reputable rescue as they will help with pairing and bonding to ensure the best possible companion comes home. This reduces the risk of fall outs and all the anxiety that goes with trying to bond piggies
I'm getting him a pretty large cage that is made to hold multiple piggies, so I'll always have the option to get another but if I don't, chip will have plenty of space to run around
thanks for the tips and links!