Biting?

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Fluffball

Fluffball

Junior Guinea Pig
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Is there any way that y can stop or reduce a guinea pig from biting- my little one Merlin who's around 2 months old is constantly trying to nibble my fingers even when i'm trying to give him a chin-rub (which he loves)! So is there anyway i can stop him from biting? :{ (P.S: i've bonded with him because he's comfortable around me and will come up to the hutch door when I'm sitting there...:{)
 
Sorry to see you haven't had any replies as both my guinea pigs bite and don't know what to do with them. They are 3 months so maybe it's their age?
 
It is partly their age. Just say no, firmly and gently and make it clear that you do not appreciate it. Eventually, most piggies will stop.
 
I have never had a guinea pig that has bitten, which is why i like them so much xx
 
blow in their face to surprise them, this should stop them.

also, do your fingers smell of food? young guinea's tend to think they can eat absolutely everything...fingers and clothing included, most grow out of it as they realise that people don't taste very nice.
 
Is it a real bite or a nibble? Putt quite often nibbles my fingers because she lives in hope that they might be parsley. If it is this wash your hands well before holding to remove traces of food smell.

We've only ever had one biter pig and thats Treacle and she only does it when we are cutting her nails as a defence mechanism because she is so stressed (as are we during nail cutting time)
 
It sounds like it's just a friendly nibble, rather thana bite :) Some of my guinea pigs have done that, usually just when they are licking my hand and start nibbling it, or if they want food.

One always did it so I stopped ever giving him treats from my hand, or letting him lick my hand if it tasted like food I had been chopping up or anything. He was just being affectionate and greedy but it hurt :)) So I just had to keep my fingers away from his mouth :)
 
I think it's an age thing but some will continuelly nibble all their lives in the hope your finger might miraculously turn into a carrot stick! :))

I used to do this thing where if they nipped me i'd go 'AH AH!' very loudly and they would soon associate this awful noise with their nippiing and eventually it did stop lol:))
 
blimey i may be able to help with this 1

once upon atime,many yrs ago ,when i was a lad,,, i had hamsters & when i 1st got them they use to be nippy,it was there way of saying put me down 4 a bit,so they nip and you react,they win,,,, then some 1 told me to wear a garden glove when handling for a few nights,when they nip, you dont have to put them down, they give up doing it , now ive had about 10 hamsters ,they all did it and none of them took longer than 2 days to learn ! hope it works for guineas x:)
 
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Lizzie said:
blow in their face to surprise them, this should stop them.

also, do your fingers smell of food? young guinea's tend to think they can eat absolutely everything...fingers and clothing included, most grow out of it as they realise that people don't taste very nice.
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I do this and it works.
 
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