New Guinea Pig Biting Very Hard

[shannoff]

Last Saturday I got a guinea pig, and I was under the impression that they weren't big on biting, and that is what the worker told me as well. But after giving him a day and a half to get accustomed to his cage, I took him out to have a little floor time. He seemed fine, not really wanting to walk around, just to nuzzle into our necks. Then I had him sitting on my lap and my hand was there as well and he nibbled at it but it didn't hurt so I didn't pay much mind to it, but then he bit down REALLY hard and I was bleeding a lot. Since then I've tried to be more careful with him and he's tried to bite me, and he got my skin once but I moved away fast enough, but I still want to bring him out every night because I don't want him to get unhappy and he doesn't seem like he hates being out of his cage. Then tonight I had him out and I had him on my moms bed, and she wanted him off so I picked him up and he bit down so much harder than the last time, and he was pulsing when he bit, getting harder and harder each time. I'm not bleeding as much this time but it was very very painful. So I put him back down and then put him in his cage.

I've done some research about the biting so I'll answer your obvious questions:

No, my hands did not smell like food.

I don't believe he has a skin condition or any pain anywhere, he doesn't seem to be hurt at all and shows all signs of being healthy.

I'm trying my hardest to hold him in a comfortable way, but he proves to be difficult when I pick up so I immediately put him against my chest and he calms down. Maybe I'm just not doing it correctly.

He is somewhere younger than a year old (I don't know exactly), so it may be still being young, but I'm not sure.

I just don't know what to do. I could bring him back because he doesn't seem to be working out, maybe I'm just not a good guinea pig owner. I'm trying my hardest to make him happy but he doesn't seem to like me very much, especially with the biting. It's getting to the point that I'm afraid to have him anyway close to me or any open skin because his bites are so painful and powerful, and I don't want to be scared of him, but I am. I'm just at a loss for what to do.

 

[Julesie]

I'm sorry this has happened to you. It really is quite rare for guinea pigs to bite. They will occasionally nibble, mostly to explore or sheer nosiness I've noticed, my youngest boar being a big culprit of this but a full on proper bite like you've had are a lot more rare.

As he's done it so many times I doubt this is why but guinea pigs can do this when they need to go for a pee and you are holding them. They may either bite, squirm, tug on a shirt or if you have one who doesn't care, will just pee on you. Those are the usual four signs I see.

I understand being afraid, I was quite afraid when Ryou always chattered at me and would try to bite but as long as I managed to keep my fingers out of the way he soon gave up and now never tries to bite my fingers (its usually when I want to stroke him or I'm feeding him).

Youngsters I hear have more of a bite tendency, so it could be that he's young and still learning not to bite. You could wait to see if he stops.

I'm not sure of any prevention to get him to stop it. Is he a single pig? He might do it out of fear and its usually wise to adopt two guinea pigs not singles and if the other doesn't do it he should learn there is no need to.

 

[shannoff]

I've thought about the bathroom thing, but he just goes and doesn't really care. He doesn't go when he's with me but when he's with my dad he goes and goes and goes.

He is a single pig, but I haven't had one before so I wasn't sure if getting two was wise when I didn't have a lot of experience, and now I don't know if it's wise for me to have one at all. It could simply be I'm just not good at having one.

 

[Julesie]

Aww I'm sorry. Try not to feel that way. I'm sure you are just fine with him. He's probably one of the few guinea pigs that bite, there are a few around. I think a few are on this forum. My advice when choosing a guinea pig is to test how the guinea pig is with you before you buy it. I usually hold them, offering them my hand, see how they react and if I am happy I will buy them.

There is a chance he might have some skin problem, not all of them are visible and guinea pigs are fantastic at hiding problems so he may have a mite or something that is in the skin or one that you cannot see with the human eye that makes him touchy.

 

[AbiS]

When my Barney was younger he sunk his teeth into the pad of my hand and drew blood - the pain was awful and I was so upset that he did it. But then I thought about why he did it. I don't think piggies are programmed to bite unless they feel they have no other option. Barney was telling me that I was doing something that he didn't like. Turns out that he hates being held. At the time he was trying to get away and I kept holding on to him. He got cross with me and sunk his teeth in. I wonder if your piggy was trying to tell you that he wanted down and when he was left on you knee he bit you because you weren't listening to his needs. You haven't had him for very long so you are both still getting used to each other.

He may dislike being picked up. I would buy a hidey that has a base on it as well and then rather than pick him up you can usher him into that. Also when cuddling him have a little pile of veg that you can distract him with. I will still cuddle Barney - but only long enough for him to eat a bit of carrot and then I put him down as he just goes totally frantic and can guarantee that he will eventually bite me again. Because I have figured out what he wants I have not had a biting experience again.

I think @sport_billy has a biter as well so hopefully he will be offer you some more advice. I think it is too soon for you to give up on your little pig - you are both still in the settling in period. Keep updating us and we will see if we can help. With regards to you getting another piggy - you really do need to do that. Piggies are herd animal and they need to have a friend - they are visibly happier once they get a pal. You either need to have him neutered and then find him a wifepig (cross gender bondings are the most stable) or find a nearby rescue that offers boar-dating. Not all piggies like each other so don't just go out and buy another boar - you might find you end up with 2 piggies that have to be kept separately.

Lots of luck to you x

 

[Hannah86]

Both of my girls like to nibble at me every now and again and Pebbles has drawn blood on more than one occasion. Like AbiS says, I think when Pebbles really goes for me it's to tell me that she's had enough attention and wants to be left alone. Most of my nibbles are because I smell of food though! Please don't give up on him yet they are brilliant animals to look after!

 

[sport_billy]

Sorry to hear this, not the best welcome into the world of piggies...

We had our first 'biter' this year - Vimto. Ever since the first day we had her in May 2013 , she would snap at me while on my lap and properly go for it, she has drawn blood a few times... 8 Months later she is much better and I can have her out now without too much worry (still a little though ) - She was just a very scared piggie and it has taken 8 months to make her feel secure and safe around me. So there is hope for you and your pig.

Tips, I would suggest building up a bond in the cage... Tempt them over to the bars to take food of you, food is the way to a piggies heart. Vimto hates been picked up and this set the tone of fear for lap time, so we started collecting her in a cosy or tunnel and popping her onto our lap for 30 seconds with a bit of lettuce as soon as she'd ate we would wait 20 seconds then take her home... slowly building up the time. She began to associate lap with food and good things so has calmed down.

The main thing is the collection method from out the cage, I never pick up but herd them into a tunnel or cosy as this is so less stressful for them and you.

I am positive in time, you will overcome this, I thought Vimto would never change but slowly she did. Just takes a lot of patience and perseverance. Good luck and welcome to the forum

 

[Jess]

I had a biting guinea pig but don't give up with him! Get him something to snuggle in when you take him out. It might just be his personality and he's a grumpy little boy and may grow out of it as well.

www.cavycouture.co.uk will have loads of stuff.

And try to hand feeding him thats what I do I bribe my piggie

 

[Freela]

I would say either fear or confusing you with food. One of my pigs is a nibbler...she will lick hands, the proceed to nibbling, and if you don't shut that down quickly, she may bite. It doesn't have anything to do with if I've been handling food or not (I think she likes the salt from sweaty hands, honestly.) The other thing is fear, if it's a piggy not used to handling or who does not like something that you are doing. One of mine will try to bite hard when she gets her nails cut... she is terrified of the nail clippers. She looks apologetic afterwards, though!

 

[Maddykins]

I have two boars and they both nibble us, sometimes cos hands smell of food etc, sometimes I think just out of curiosity, some people think a bit of nibbling is affectionate?

They have bitten me and my partner before too. We are both new to owning guinea pigs and it's clearly been because we weren't understanding their body language. We've only had them for a few weeks. I've been bitten by one when I've been stroking him too long, he was making noises, I didn't know if they were happy or 'get off me' noises so I continued stroking so he got annoyed and turned around to bit me pretty hard. The only occasion one has bitten so hard they drew blood was when my partner was holding the other one for a while, it started licking him, then nibbling him...a lot of the web says this is out of affection so my partner kept holding him but I think he was asking to be put down and as my partner was basically ignoring his asking (the nibbling etc) he finally got fed up and bit him really hard. This may have been because he needed to pee, but I think it's because he's the more skittish of the two and wanted to go back in his cage where he feels more safe.

All I'm trying to say is that it is hard when you're new to owning the pigs like we are because learning body language etc isn't really something you can learn so much by reading up on it as all of them are different. It will take awhile to get used to what your guinea pig is trying to tell you but they don't bite just to be mean, only to try and tell you that they're not happy about something and with time you'll learn what that is and will be able to avoid it and they won't bite as much.

Like everyone else has said though, if you can definitely get another pig. Then your pig won't be as scared and I bet they won't bite as much or as hard/persistently as it sounds like they are doing now. Hope this helps!