Have you kept a guinea pig? These little creatures make cute pets and usually won't bite. However, apart from running and hiding, biting is one of their defense systems, so your guinea pig will occasionally bite. Based on Teresa Bay's book Exotic Pet Behavior: Birds, Reptiles, and Small Mammals, guinea pigs bite "to demonstrate dominance, to seek attention, and to avoid unwanted attention". Your job is to make sure that your guinea pig will receive love and kindness whenever it sees you. If you can do this, your guinea pig won't bite you again.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Reducing risk
Step 1. Stay safe
Don't put your finger in the cage. If your guinea pig feels threatened, it will become alert and make your fingers an easy target. Don't give your guinea pig a chance to hurt you.
Step 2. Wash your hands
You will definitely hold your guinea pig. Wash your hands to get rid of odors your guinea pig doesn't like, such as dog or cat odors. Guinea pigs have a keen sense of smell and have the instinct to fear odors associated with danger. Since cats and dogs can be a threat to guinea pigs, guinea pigs will react negatively to the smell of these animals.
- If your guinea pig has a high appetite, make sure you wash your hands to get the food smell off your hands. Don't make your guinea pig feel that your hands are food.
- You might consider wearing gloves until you're sure that your guinea pig won't bite you.
Step 3. Understand why your guinea pig bites
Bites are the result of fear, but there are several biological and environmental reasons for the behavior.
- The pain can make your guinea pig bite. You may have accidentally hurt your guinea pig or there may be some underlying psychological problem. Sometimes your guinea pig will bite you when it intends to scratch itself. This can be an indicator of the presence of fleas. If you're concerned about your guinea pig's discomfort or pain, call your veterinarian for a check-up right away.
- If your guinea pig bites when you pick him up, he may need to come down to pee. If that's the case, put your guinea pig back in the cage and watch what he does next. If he pees, you've got the answer.
- Male guinea pigs that are not neutered will show dominance by biting more often than female or neutered guinea pigs. Consider neutering your guinea pig, although there's no guarantee your guinea pig's biting will stop completely if he's neutered. Dominance is not only based on testosterone levels alone.
- If your guinea pig is nibbling on the wire or iron of its cage, it could mean that your guinea pig is lonely and looking for attention. It's not showing any harmful behavior, but he wants to be noticed. Approach carefully.
Method 2 of 2: Getting Your Guinea Pig's Heart
Step 1. Reduce other factors that cause excessive worry
The guinea pig's cage should be kept in a quiet area of the house to minimize stress. If your guinea pig bites, it's likely that it feels threatened. Turn down the TV volume or just turn it off. If you have other pets, keep them in a separate room. Your guinea pig should focus solely on you. Then, when you treat your guinea pig well, your guinea pig will associate you with good experiences, not stress.
Step 2. Let the guinea pig explore its place
If you have recently purchased or adopted a guinea pig, it will take a while to get used to the cage, and the room you are keeping it in. Allow your guinea pig to adjust, and don't ask him to play right away.
- Open the cage and let the guinea pig check the entrance. It's important to let your guinea pig explore the place. When he knows his place and finds a place to hide, he will feel much more comfortable.
- When your guinea pig is relaxed a little, place an exercise pen on the floor around the cage, and give your guinea pig time to explore. Do it when it's quiet-make sure there's no noise and no other pets around. Place leafy greens by the door and outside the cage to encourage exploration. Don't force your guinea pig. Each guinea pig is different and this will take time.
Step 3. Get acquainted with the guinea pig's environment
Watch the guinea pig without trying to play with the guinea pig at first. Sit next to the cage. Speak slowly to your guinea pig. Place tasty greens such as parsley or dandelion flowers in the cage. Wait for your guinea pig to feel comfortable before starting to touch it. Finally, you can put your finger in the cage and let your guinea pig recognize your smell. Do not make contact until the guinea pig is comfortable.
Sit and read a book or watch TV (slowly) next to the cage as your guinea pig adjusts to your presence. Loud noises will frighten your guinea pig, so play when your house is quiet and there are no dogs or cats around
Step 4. Gradually approach your guinea pig until you can carry it
Make physical contact little by little. Do not hold or carry your guinea pig without their permission. When your guinea pig accepts your hand in the cage, pet it gently for a few seconds. Try to stroke behind the ears and on top of his head first. Only after he is comfortable with your touch can you hold him. Lift the guinea pig from the bottom of its chest and put it back down as soon as possible. Keep doing this so that your guinea pig gets used to being held.
When lifting your guinea pig, use one hand to lift around the chest and the other to support the hind legs and waist. Your guinea pig should feel fully supported so that he doesn't worry about falling. Start by sitting on the floor. Pick up the guinea pig and stroke its fur. Stay calm. If your guinea pig struggles, put your guinea pig back in before it defends itself by biting
Step 5. Teach the children how to hold a guinea pig properly
Remember that biting is a guinea pig's way of expressing themselves. If your guinea pig feels uncomfortable when held by a child so that your guinea pig bites, tell the child to put the guinea pig down immediately.
Under your supervision, have the children sit on the floor with a towel, “Critter Cuddler Blanket”, or “Cuddle Cup” to hold the guinea pig. This way, there will be a boundary between the children and the guinea pig to protect them both. Let the children pet the guinea pig gently and allow the guinea pig to walk around so he doesn't feel trapped
Step 6. Give your guinea pig a snack to support good behavior
Don't reward bad behavior. If you think your guinea pig is biting you for attention, don't reward the guinea pig's behavior by giving it the attention it demands. Come back later and pet your guinea pig when he's calmed down. You should read your guinea pig's body language. If he seems calm, pet your guinea pig and give him a treat for the good behavior. If you try to break his biting habit by giving him treats, he will associate the biting and bad behavior with a delicious treat.
Step 7. Study your guinea pig's personality
After a few months of living together, you will begin to notice your guinea pig's patterns. For example, don't disturb him while he's napping to reduce the chance of a dangerous reaction occurring.
Step 8. Don't hit your guinea pig
In addition to being able to injure your guinea pig, this also teaches your guinea pig that it must defend itself against you-which will result in more bites. Maybe your instincts will tell you to get angry when your guinea pig bites you. Don't give in to this instinct. Think about why your guinea pig bites and change your behavior.
