Sudden Biting

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Rachel2709

Rachel2709

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My 2.5 year old boy Frank has suddenly started nipping me. He has been separated from his brother since earlier this year due to them fighting.
But over the last couple of weeks everytime I stroke him or pop my fingers in his cage to say hello he has started to nip me. It's not a full on bite but it's sharp enough and sometimes he even does a little charge at me. He is use to me stroking him and putting my fingers through the cage so why suddenly start biting?
He even does it when I'm holding him.
He seems really grumpy too. He is eating and drinking fine, even poo'ing and wee'ing fine.
I've tried to give him toys but he has never been interested in them :/

Has any-one ever had this happen to them?
What can I do?
 
Hi! Perhaps you may want to find him a new friend? He may just be bored and unhappy. Boars of all ages are rebondable if care is taken to find a character compatible companion.

The safest way is by boar dating at a good rescue under expert supervision - that minimises your risks, as you will only come home with a new friend if there has been success.
Your closest recommendable rescue is the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent.
http://www.thepotteriesguineapigrescue.co.uk/

Here is a map of more good standard, practice and ethics rescues. Please note that the RSPCA Walsall in Birmingham doesn't offer boar dating, only sow and cross gender (neutered boar) dating.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=209994852075231951564.0004b8fd9391b4257d8eb&msa=0
 
That's for the reply but I'm really not sure I have room for another piggy. I already have 2 :/
 
Two guinea pigs actually don't need that much more space than one; the RSPCA minimum recommendation for two guinea pigs is 2x4 ft (60x120cm), 8 square feet instead of 7 for a single piggy. You could always consider going vertical if you are short on space and have a second cage on a cheap secondhand table over the first cage. There are quite a few more creative solutions if you start looking around; I have seen cages made out of two cheap Ikea bookshelves pushed together with the lowest shelf used for storage. We can also give you links to where to get the cheapest cages if you wish to. ;)
 
Sound s like your little lad is probably a bit lonely and bored. My lads tend to nibble when they are either anxious or they are fed up with something.

He may also still be a bit unsettled and it sounds like (from the charging and nipping) that he's either very scared or trying to exert dominance over you. It may be he has a bit more testosterone that he really needs as I have hardly ever heard of piggies dominance displaying to humans. They are very rarely actively aggressive to humans either.

He may benefit from company of his own kind to reduce his anxiety and boredom but this would best be done as a bonding in an experienced rescue like those on the list Wiebke posted as boar bonding is not for the faint hearted especially if your boy is a bit fractious already. Most boars can be paired when allowed time and space to pick their own buddy. Just because he's fallen out with a cagemate once doesn't mean a new bonding would be unsuccessful.

Best of luck keeping your lad occupied and happy.
 
Thanks guys. A couple of days ago I noticed he had some straw stuck in his eye which I removed then bathed just incase of infection and he seems a lot happier :) Maybe he was grumpy because his eye was sore?

Also any links to cheap cages would be very helpful

Also can I ask ... What is the smallest size c&c cage suitable for 1 piggy?
After xmas I'm going to look into getting a c&c cage and halving it so that both piggies can see each other but still be separate. Problem is I have limited surface space so biggest I could have is a 5x2 but I'm worried this would be to small when split down the middle?
 
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