My Guinea Pig is constantly waking me up early

[GizmoPiggy]

At first I wasn't a problem since he would chew on the bars at 6:30 which was after I got breakfast and came back upstairs. Just a couple weeks ago he started chewing on the cage when my alarm goes off at 6:10. Now he wakes up at random times and I don't know what to do about it and how to prevent it. He woke me up at 2am and 6am today I need it to stop. Could someone help me he because he tends to chews on bars whenever he wants something, food, carrot, or other treats.

 

[Siikibam]

Does he have enough (fresh) hay in his cage? Does he have a friend? It could be boredom or attention seeking. You will have to ignore him as long as he has hay. Giving in and giving him a treat every time isn’t good for him and makes things worse as he’ll expect it. You could cover the grids with cardboard as well.

 

[Winniepeg]

I put a hand towel under the the cage doors. It doesn’t stop it but it does muffle the sound. Don’t give in to your piggie as this will only make the situation worse. Another thing you could try is to feed him just before you go to bed and of course leave plenty of hay. Good luck

 

[Wiebke]

At first I wasn't a problem since he would chew on the bars at 6:30 which was after I got breakfast and came back upstairs. Just a couple weeks ago he started chewing on the cage when my alarm goes off at 6:10. Now he wakes up at random times and I don't know what to do about it and how to prevent it. He woke me up at 2am and 6am today I need it to stop. Could someone help me he because he tends to chews on bars whenever he wants something, food, carrot, or other treats.

Hi!

Is he a single? In this case is most likely attention seeking behaviour because it is the most effective way to get a reaction out of you. Guinea pigs are social animals and not wired to be on their own. The overwhelming need for 24/7 life-long interaction and stimulation will come out in whichever form it takes to get your attention. If being nice doesn't work, then being naughty is usually the next choice.

Please take the time to read the information and very practical tips on how to deal with the situation in these guide links here. Keep in mind that companionship is the best long term measure you can take to make your boy happy. But please be aware that you cannot simply stick another piggy into an established territory; you need to stage an indroduction. If you can rescue date for a personality match, that would be best.
Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities
Companionship

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
Who is the boss - your guinea pig or you?

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Rescue Locator (like to other countries below UK map)

 

[Qpep]

Sharing my experience here solving early morning squeaking with my male piggie.

It started out of the blue (seemingly) and had been going on for about 2 months. I'd recently (about 2 months before ) decided to spoil him with additional greens now that he's getting on in years (7) and lost his housemate 9 months prior. Note: They fought fiercely, not kept in the same enclosure. Not sure how hard transition has been, no visible signs of grieving.

I decided to look up the proper amount of fresh veggies per day – which I already knew – but in an effort to troubleshoot this early morning squeaking from this newly insatiable animal. Do I need to give even more greens!?

I learned that he could now be getting too much calcium, which could lead to health problems. There I read what I also already knew – 1 TBS pellets, hay quantity: unlimited. And piggies spend lots of time eating, ie. make sure hay is always available. I saw notes of people offering it 3-4 times a day. That made me realize that I'd backed off on the hay a bit! I was swapping it out for extra greens.

I immediately backed off the greens and have been keeping the hay well stocked.

Piggie has subsequently stopped vocalizing in the early morning hours. Problem solved. I don't think he was demanding more treats. He was probably hungry. (Horrified to think I was probably starving him )

Hope this helps someone!