Guinea Pig Tweaking

Dilly's Piggies

Dilly's Piggies

Teenage Guinea Pig
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I have an almost 2 year old sow who has always been a biter like her Mum was from a young age, I've tried so many things to get her to stop including what is mentioned on the "Biting, what can you do?" thread, nothing is working. This Guinea Pig is also deaf, therefore anything by voice does not work, I'm not sure if being deaf has anything to do with her biting, I've had her from birth and she's a very confident pig, dominant and sassy, I believe she is biting me and pulling my clothes to get her own way. Spoiled rotten is probably the answer lol.

She is a super sweet pig in her cage, but once you get her out and try to do anything with her, like nail trims, hair cuts, or just simple cuddle time, she's very quick to display how irritated she is. Almost instantly she will bite me, anywhere she can find, whether it's my fingers, arm, wrist, neck, legs, face or even my boobs she has bitten! She has gone to blood a few times but mostly it's the hardest possible bite without drawing blood.

If she was anyone else's pig they'd have given her away by now, but I love this girl and I know she is a sweetie, she just has some anxiety issues, I have bags of patience so I never get angry, I just try to ignore it. As I said I've had her since birth, handled her multiple times a day and started all 'training' whilst young, such as nail clipping and grooming. Her sister is the sweetest little love possible, has NEVER even put her teeth on me, loves a cuddle and behaves impeccably for grooming, I have no idea why they are so different yet they both had the same upbringing.

I just wish she would stop biting or at least not do it so often. It's very frustrating for me when I need to trim her nails and she's putting her head down to bite my fingers, I can only get a couple of nails done per day usually before she starts throwing a fit. She doesn't just bite she fidgets too, like she starts panicking and will not sit still, it's impossible for me to get anything done with her no matter how quickly I do it.

Any advice and tips to figure out why she's biting and what I can do to stop it would be great... She is also spayed, lives in a big C&C cage with two other pigs and gets plenty of exercise too. She is great with the other pigs, just doesn't like me lol!
 
CavyConnoisseur said:
I have an almost 2 year old sow who has always been a biter like her Mum was from a young age, I've tried so many things to get her to stop including what is mentioned on the "Biting, what can you do?" thread, nothing is working. This Guinea Pig is also deaf, therefore anything by voice does not work, I'm not sure if being deaf has anything to do with her biting, I've had her from birth and she's a very confident pig, dominant and sassy, I believe she is biting me and pulling my clothes to get her own way. Spoiled rotten is probably the answer lol.

She is a super sweet pig in her cage, but once you get her out and try to do anything with her, like nail trims, hair cuts, or just simple cuddle time, she's very quick to display how irritated she is. Almost instantly she will bite me, anywhere she can find, whether it's my fingers, arm, wrist, neck, legs, face or even my boobs she has bitten! She has gone to blood a few times but mostly it's the hardest possible bite without drawing blood.

If she was anyone else's pig they'd have given her away by now, but I love this girl and I know she is a sweetie, she just has some anxiety issues, I have bags of patience so I never get angry, I just try to ignore it. As I said I've had her since birth, handled her multiple times a day and started all 'training' whilst young, such as nail clipping and grooming. Her sister is the sweetest little love possible, has NEVER even put her teeth on me, loves a cuddle and behaves impeccably for grooming, I have no idea why they are so different yet they both had the same upbringing.

I just wish she would stop biting or at least not do it so often. It's very frustrating for me when I need to trim her nails and she's putting her head down to bite my fingers, I can only get a couple of nails done per day usually before she starts throwing a fit. She doesn't just bite she fidgets too, like she starts panicking and will not sit still, it's impossible for me to get anything done with her no matter how quickly I do it.

Any advice and tips to figure out why she's biting and what I can do to stop it would be great... She is also spayed, lives in a big C&C cage with two other pigs and gets plenty of exercise too. She is great with the other pigs, just doesn't like me lol!
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You know you could so easily have been talking about my Blitzen except I'm 99% sure he's not deaf. And compared to him Comet is an absolute sweetheart - kinda like your sow and her sister.

He's nowhere near as bad as that now, he's stopped using his teeth at the first sign of displeasure, but it took nearly a year and it was nothing I did, I literally had to let him work it out himself. Now he's much better but only if I let him sit on me in a certain place and I've zero chance of doing his nails, I get the vet to do it. That way, the vet gets bitten and I escape unscathed! (the vet doesn't actually appreciate this but oh dear, nevermind eh?)

I'm sorry I'm not much help, but maybe it'll help to know there's equally badly behaved guineas out there? I'm pretty sure Blitzen's biting habits were the reason the pair of them were in the adoption section at P@H so somebody likely did give him up because he's a biter. Pity, he's an absolute sweetheart. Really. >.>
 
There are guinea pigs that do not like being handled at all, but they can turn it into a contest of wills.
I have won a few by telling a piggy off and persisting in getting the job done - basically out-stubborning them and showing them that I am not impressed by strops, but giving plenty of fuss and a treat afterwards. It was not pretty though and I have the scars and scratches to show!

Have you considered grooming her in another room she is not familiar with or keeping her mouth stuffed with a favourite of hers? It has helped with wrestling with my karate perus, who in fair play had arrived in rescue totally matted up in a filthy rat cage and who did NOT want to be touched at their bum end ever again! They are now just before their 7th birthday and have thankfully calmed down a lot over the last 2-3 years...
 
Wiebke said:
There are guinea pigs that do not like being handled at all, but they can turn it into a contest of wills.
I have won a few by telling a piggy off and persisting in getting the job done - basically out-stubborning them and showing them that I am not impressed by strops, but giving plenty of fuss and a treat afterwards. It was not pretty though and I have the scars and scratches to show!

Have you considered grooming her in another room she is not familiar with or keeping her mouth stuffed with a favourite of hers? It has helped with wrestling with my karate perus, who in fair play had arrived in rescue totally matted up in a filthy rat cage and who did NOT want to be touched at their bum end ever again! They are now just before their 7th birthday and have thankfully calmed down a lot over the last 2-3 years...
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Yep, I have even tried doing it outside, no difference... She will also refuse to eat anything I give her at the time and choose biting me over it, she knows exactly what I'm trying to do, she's just too smart!
 
Wiebke said:
I have won a few by telling a piggy off and persisting in getting the job done - basically out-stubborning them and showing them that I am not impressed by strops, but giving plenty of fuss and a treat afterwards. It was not pretty though and I have the scars and scratches to show!
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Ouch! :)) I imagine piggies in warrior outfit with thier tiny spears and swords.
 
Can you tell her off in her own language? My Iggy bites my mum whenever he's displeased with her but he doesn't bite me. I've used piggy language to tell him I'm the boss of him (raising his chin with my nose) and when he was super naughty I would lightly pinch his wee bottom to simulated being nipped by another pig (I don't actually pinch skin OR hurt him).

Neither things are very nice to have to do but I've seen with Iggy that sometimes you need to tell them that they need to raise their head and be good, my mum never wanted to try the pig language and he still bites her because he can, little sod :))

You can't reason with them, hurt them, shout at them or scare them but you can assert your higher status on them and generally they do as they're told :)
 
I raise piggy chins not with my nose but with my finger now. I used to do it with my nose and was promptly bitten on it for my trouble which hurt! A quick "NO!" often works wonders too. I have never shouted or scared my piggies as I want them to trust me at all times. It has taken a lot of hard work but they all trust me implicitly now. I can even put in eye drops really easily on my own too. The only thing I still have problems with is the dreaded nail clipping!
 
I've tried the chin raising with my finger but she really fights against it, the more I do it the more aggressive she gets, should I just persevere with that until she gives up? Might be there for hours but if that will help then I will try it :))
 
She has actually recently started jumping onto my shoulder/back, just sits there like a parrot, because she knows I can't reach her there... She's honestly such a , she's so naughty that I love her for it :))
 
CavyConnoisseur said:
I've tried the chin raising with my finger but she really fights against it, the more I do it the more aggressive she gets, should I just persevere with that until she gives up? Might be there for hours but if that will help then I will try it :))
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If she fights against it I would try another way. You don't want to frighten her. I must have the most laid back piggies. Velvet can be a bit feisty and is definitely THE BOSS of the herd and no one dare step out of line. Fortunately she sees her hoomin (me) as higher ranked than her and does as she's told. Which means the other 4 think the same.
 
CavyConnoisseur said:
She has actually recently started jumping onto my shoulder/back, just sits there like a parrot, because she knows I can't reach her there... She's honestly such a , she's so naughty that I love her for it :))
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Dennis is my parrot piggie too! Especially at the vets (he thinks the vet is as nasty person) I get him out of the carrier (Dennis not the vet!) and pop him (Dennis) on the examination table, he takes one look at the vet does a swift 180, scrambles up my body onto my shoulder and quivers hiding under my hair! I take this as a complement as at least he feels safe with me! Oddly he seems to know if he has to see the vet or if he has come along for the ride as a friend. He doesn't do it if he is there as a friend. Maybe he isn't as stupid as he looks! Here is my Dennis.
Cutey Dennis 2.webp
 
Oh they do fight against the chin raising but be persistent, they'll get it eventually :D It's the only way to do it really.
 
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