Nipping

[MnJ]

My boy Mylo lost some weight when he was on treatment for mites, I think a month or so ago so I am weighting him every day since then. His poops are bit smaller than usual but his weight is stable and he even gained some more. I am still weighting him every day though, because of his poops. I am not sure if he is annoyed from the daily weight checks or something else, but he strarted to try to bite me, every time i try to get him out of his cage. He never really bit me, just made a few scratches, but I am wondering if I am stressing him out with the daily weight checks. He was doing this before too, after he got a shot at the vets. It seems to be an on and off thing. I want to pick him up without touching him, but he is too smart to get in a hidey or stand in something i can pick him up with.

 

[Truffolo]

Oh dear, it's a tricky question. I can only think of trying to win him over with food he likes and stroking if he will allow it. Truffle will let me do things with his long fur and a comb he would object to if the Romaine lettuce wasn't distracting him.

 

[MnJ]

He lets me pet him in the cage without any problem stays still and lays down sometimes, comes for food and begs for food. I think the problem is only when I need to pick him up. I would love to pick him up in a hidey, but he avoids them when i go into the room. He is well behaved otherwise - nails, check ups no problem.

 

[Truffolo]

He sounds rather sweet. Yes, I think for a small animal with a big round tummy and a fragile body, being picked up must be rather uncomfortable, although some piggies don't mind. It's good that you can do his nails etc without problems. Of course, if he learns that you are going to back off if he nips, it gives him incentive to keep nipping. The injection might have made him afraid of hands if it was painful. Apparently guinea pigs should never be injected into the fat on top of their shoulders. Perhaps the vet did this, being more used to injecting dogs and cats?

 

[piggieminder]

Thread '" Biting" And What You Can Do (Biting, Tweaking, Nibbling and Nipping)'

Jan 16, 2016

1 Serious defence bites
- On edge, spooked or cornered
- During cuddle time
- During bonding
2 Nibbling and accidental bites
3 Tweaking
4 Nipping other guinea pigs


Biting can be a worry or a problem for new owners, especially those with small children. However, there are some very different issues lumped together under the broad umbrella of “biting”, sometimes with fatal consequences for the poor, misunderstood and not appropriately handled guinea pig that...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Behaviours

• 

I hope you can find some helpful hints and tips in the above liked thread.