Help.. Mummy Guinea Biting Baby

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Emma4Zippy

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Mummy pig biting her baby pig when she squealsaid or squeaks why could this be?
 
Emma4Zippy said:
Mummy pig biting her baby pig when she squealsaid or squeaks why could this be?
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

What you are witnessing is most likely simple dominance behaviour at the end of the weaning process or establishing a hierarchy in any new territory. Nipping is a very carefully judged gesture of power where a dominant guinea pig just lets the underpiggy feel its teeth without hurting or breaking the skin. The correct response from the underpiggy is submission squealing, which is NOT an expression of pain. Babies are very vocal and dramatic. They lose their protected status when they are weaned and are firmly put into their place at the bottom of the hierarchy.

More about all forms of biting and dominance behaviours in these guides here, which will hopefully help you to understand guinea pig behaviour:
" Biting" And What You Can Do
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sow Behaviour


How old is your baby and what gender is it? Have you had your pair long?
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome

What you are witnessing is most likely simple dominance behaviour at the end of the weaning process or establishing a hierarchy in any new territory. Nipping is a very carefully judged gesture of power where a dominant guinea pig just lets the underpiggy feel its teeth without hurting or breaking the skin. The correct response from the underpiggy is submission squealing, which is NOT an expression of pain. Babies are very vocal and dramatic. They lose their protected status when they are weaned and are firmly put into their place at the bottom of the hierarchy.

More about all forms of biting and dominance behaviours in these guides here, which will hopefully help you to understand guinea pig behaviour:
" Biting" And What You Can Do
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sow Behaviour


How old is your baby and what gender is it? Have you had your pair long?
Click to expand...


Hi there

Thank you so much. I've been told I'm bad and I've not got the right sized cage. We've had the pair for 2 nearly 3 weeks now. Baby is female. Baby is 8 to 10weeks old now..

Thanks
Emma
 
How big is your piggies cage. Is it a cage or C&C grids
You are not bad, you have not learnt size of cages. If you are a loving piggy slave this is the place to learn it. We don't tell you are bad or criticise we just help you along.
 
Emma4Zippy said:
Hi there

Thank you so much. I've been told I'm bad and I've not got the right sized cage. We've had the pair for 2 nearly 3 weeks now. Baby is female. Baby is 8 to 10weeks old now..

Thanks
Emma
Click to expand...

A small cage size is making dominance worse, especially when they cannot get out of each other's way. They need two hideys, space to run as well as space for unlimited hay (which is making around 80% of their daily diet). If you can, please always go for a larger cage; if you are short on money, look out for second-hand 2x4/60 x 120 cm ft rabbit cages in the free-ads. Most can be brought back to life with a good soak or two of hot vinegar, elbow grease and disinfectant. ;)

Sadly, shops are still allowed to sell hamster cages as guinea pig "starter cages" with complete disregard to the fact that guinea pigs are ground roaming group animals that in nature can cover an area of over a mile in a day and really need somewhere to stretch their legs for long term health and wellbeing. It is always very annoying for new owners to find themselves struggling and made to feel bad because of bad advice - as well as having to shell out a lot more money than planned. Shops know exactly well that many people would not buy small animals if they cost a lot more when cared for properly. What they are after is the repeat custom for feed, bedding and unnecessary toys; not animal welfare. :(

The other important issue that nobody will warn you about is vet cost. Your vet bill is likely going to make the largest amount of money you are going to spend on any pet. If you don't have a large income, then it is important to save up a small regular sum every week right from the start, so you can pay for necessary vet care in an emergency. Illness NEVER happens at a convenient time and it can quickly cost you hundreds of dollars or pounds. No pet, when cared for poperly is ever cheap. :(
With good living conditions, a good mainly hay based/lower calcium diet and regular exercise, you can contribute a lot toward general good health and longevity, but you can never fully prepare for sudden and unpreventable illnesses or accidents.

Please take the time to read our new owners information bundle. We have combined the most asked for new owners questions with some vital need-to-know information to enable as good and smooth start as possible and help you avoid any future problems where possible.
The starter kit contains a cage size guide as well as plenty of information on diet, behaviour, human interaction and spotting illness/vet care etc.
New Owners' " How To" Starter Kit

Please take the time to read through our new owners' guide bundle
 
Wiebke said:
A small cage size is making dominance worse, especially when they cannot get out of each other's way. They need two hideys, space to run as well as space for unlimited hay (which is making around 80% of their daily diet). If you can, please always go for a larger cage; if you are short on money, look out for second-hand 2x4/60 x 120 cm ft rabbit cages in the free-ads. Most can be brought back to life with a good soak or two of hot vinegar, elbow grease and disinfectant. ;)

Sadly, shops are still allowed to sell hamster cages as guinea pig "starter cages" with complete disregard to the fact that guinea pigs are ground roaming group animals that in nature can cover an area of over a mile in a day and really need somewhere to stretch their legs for long term health and wellbeing. It is always very annoying for new owners to find themselves struggling and made to feel bad because of bad advice - as well as having to shell out a lot more money than planned. Shops know exactly well that many people would not buy small animals if they cost a lot more when cared for properly. What they are after is the repeat custom for feed, bedding and unnecessary toys; not animal welfare. :(

The other important issue that nobody will warn you about is vet cost. Your vet bill is likely going to make the largest amount of money you are going to spend on any pet. If you don't have a large income, then it is important to save up a small regular sum every week right from the start, so you can pay for necessary vet care in an emergency. Illness NEVER happens at a convenient time and it can quickly cost you hundreds of dollars or pounds. No pet, when cared for poperly is ever cheap. :(
With good living conditions, a good mainly hay based/lower calcium diet and regular exercise, you can contribute a lot toward general good health and longevity, but you can never fully prepare for sudden and unpreventable illnesses or accidents.

Please take the time to read our new owners information bundle. We have combined the most asked for new owners questions with some vital need-to-know information to enable as good and smooth start as possible and help you avoid any future problems where possible.
The starter kit contains a cage size guide as well as plenty of information on diet, behaviour, human interaction and spotting illness/vet care etc.
New Owners' " How To" Starter Kit

Please take the time to read through our new owners' guide bundle
Click to expand...
I've got a cage that's suitable. It's 4foot in size. With 2 of everything.
 
Emma4Zippy said:
I've got a cage that's suitable. It's 4foot in size. With 2 of everything.
Click to expand...

That is perfectly fine then! Thank for clarifying that point after mentioning that you have encountered criticism over your cage size. :tu:
 
We got them in a 3 foot cage but decided to get a bigger one.. it's a cage. It says it's for rabbit. Tia molly it was an American guinea pig forum that said I hadn't got the right cage...

The baby is a female.. she hasn't got any tears in her ears and mum doesn't do it all the time. I realised it's more when we are handling them and baby squeal's I don't know if she could be making mum nervous etc..

And I have kept guinea pigs as a child but as a child you don't realise how much there is you can do.

Thank you all for replying.. all info brilliant
 
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