Guinea Pig Biting :(

[echowhisper]

my Guinea pig called Echo (around 8 months old) has started to bite me pretty hard when I pick him up. I don't think it is that he needs the toilet because he does it quite regularly and only after a few seconds of being held. I hold him against my body and he bites my cheast. I am holding him correctly and making sure he feels secure I also don't think he's in pain because he is very lively and runs round the cage and popcorns quite regularly, he is more skittish and doesn't like to be held as much as my other Guinea pig. He has only just started to do it in the last few days! what should I do?

 

[VickiA]

Please read our thread about biting. It explains the different types of biting and how to teach your piggy not to bite you. I can vouch that this works as I had a real biter on my hands and she has now stopped.
All Kinds Of Biting And What You Can Do

 

[echowhisper]

Please read our thread about biting. It explains the different types of biting and how to teach your piggy not to bite you. I can vouch that this works as I had a real biter on my hands and she has now stopped.
All Kinds Of Biting And What You Can Do

thankyou so much this will hopefully help a lot!

 

[Caviemummy]

my Guinea pig called Echo (around 8 months old) has started to bite me pretty hard when I pick him up. I don't think it is that he needs the toilet because he does it quite regularly and only after a few seconds of being held. I hold him against my body and he bites my cheast. I am holding him correctly and making sure he feels secure I also don't think he's in pain because he is very lively and runs round the cage and popcorns quite regularly, he is more skittish and doesn't like to be held as much as my other Guinea pig. He has only just started to do it in the last few days! what should I do?

I'm having the exact same problem. One of my girls doesn't mind being caught and picked up and never bites but the other girl hates me catching her. Like you I hold them against my chest and support bottom etc but she tries biting me right away and bites at my top aswell. I've read that you shouldn't just put them back in the cage as soon as they start biting or they will know to use that tactic next time. She's such a fidgety thing and won't sit still for long on my lap. Hope she will grow out of it as they are both only about 10 weeks old and we have only and them a few days.

 

[Swissgreys]

I'm having the exact same problem. One of my girls doesn't mind being caught and picked up and never bites but the other girl hates me catching her. Like you I hold them against my chest and support bottom etc but she tries biting me right away and bites at my top aswell. I've read that you shouldn't just put them back in the cage as soon as they start biting or they will know to use that tactic next time. She's such a fidgety thing and won't sit still for long on my lap. Hope she will grow out of it as they are both only about 10 weeks old and we have only and them a few days.

In all honesty if you have only had them for a few days you need to start very slowly.
Get them used to the sound of your voice and try offering food from your hands first.
It is probably a bit early to be picking them up - we waited for about 5 days, and then used the tunnel method to catch them as opposed to chasing them around the cage and stressing them unduly.