HELP! My guinea pig has gone rabid

[mylittlefarm<3]

I got my guinea pig, Mr Pigglesworth, a few months ago. When we first got him he was with another guinea pig, Ollie. they both got sick, but Ollie was a runt so ecen at the vet with all the care they could provide he didnt make it. Mr pigglesworth, however, is totally fine. except... I'm pretty sure he hates me. H is super fat and will only let me hold him when I'm feeding him. when i dont have food in my hands, he runs away when i try to pick him up. He also bites my fingers lightly as if testing if they are food. I dont know if that aggressive or not. When i pet him a lot without feeding him he chatters his teeth at me, and he'll also try to throw himself out of my arms sometimes. But he confuses me because whenever i walk into my room he comes out of his igloo and starts popcorning happily, and he doesnt seem afraid of me at all. Advice please! I want him be comfortable with me because i love him so much! I honestly dont know what to do anymore.

One other thing, he has a big lump on his butt, and I'm not sure if i should be concerned about it.

 

[Guineapigfeet]

Sounds normal to me. Pigs are prey animals and generally do not enjoy being grabbed. My three run to the bars when I come in to their room and they’ll follow me around the dining room when they’re on the floor but only one of them will allow me to stroke her when they’re ‘loose’ and they’ve only recently started letting me pick them up with the use of a tunnel (They are 3 now)

Check out the sticky threads on pig language to learn how to speak pig to make sure you’re not inadvertently acting like a predator.

I’d get him to a vet if he has a lump.

 

[Betsy]

Yep sounds normal. I have had my lot for nearly 3 years and they run off when I try to pick them up. You say he is super fat, what is his weight? Can you feel his ribs under a layer of fat? If so he is not overweight (Some piggies are just naturally large). Everytime I take Meg to the vets I get told she's overweight. She is just a piggy with a big bum but I can feel her ribs under a layer of fat so I know she's OK. Here are the Piggy Whispering tips that @Guineapigfeet mentioned.

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?


Does Mr Pigglesworth have a new friend? They really are happier with a friend to do piggy bimbling with and talk piggy talk.

Companionship

 

[Lady Kelly]

I can highly recommend the guinea pig whispering thread that Betsy has linked to above. You need to be able to handle him without feeding especially if he is becoming overweight as you will definitely not be helping his health through over feeding treats. The popcorning I suspect is finally having company/stimulation which they usually get from cagemates so definitely look into getting him a new friend, a lot of the reputable rescues on our rescue locator page do boar dating meaning he can pick his own friend and you are much more likely to end up with a compatible partnership.

On top of this I would pop along to the vet to get the lump tested to find out what it is. Some lumps in guinea pigs are harmless and can be left without much cause for concern as long as they aren't causing pain or stopping them from moving around. Other lumps need sooner treatment to stop them from becoming a bigger problem in the future.

 

[Wiebke]

I got my guinea pig, Mr Pigglesworth, a few months ago. When we first got him he was with another guinea pig, Ollie. they both got sick, but Ollie was a runt so ecen at the vet with all the care they could provide he didnt make it. Mr pigglesworth, however, is totally fine. except... I'm pretty sure he hates me. H is super fat and will only let me hold him when I'm feeding him. when i dont have food in my hands, he runs away when i try to pick him up. He also bites my fingers lightly as if testing if they are food. I dont know if that aggressive or not. When i pet him a lot without feeding him he chatters his teeth at me, and he'll also try to throw himself out of my arms sometimes. But he confuses me because whenever i walk into my room he comes out of his igloo and starts popcorning happily, and he doesnt seem afraid of me at all. Advice please! I want him be comfortable with me because i love him so much! I honestly dont know what to do anymore.

One other thing, he has a big lump on his butt, and I'm not sure if i should be concerned about it.

Hi and welcome!

How old are your boys and how long have you had them?

Please have the lump vet checked. In most cases they are benign, but some varieties can be nasty. Any larger lump needd to be seen and assessed by a vet with a hands-on examination. They can range from harmless fatty lumps or cysts to abscesses and tumours.
Is the lump sitting loosely in the skin or is it deeper? Is the swelling around the genitalia?

Guinea pigs are prey animals with prey animal instincts. They are also very very good at manipulating us.
Please take the time to read the following links. You will find that they contain some really helpful advice in how you can work arounf their prey animal instincts and deal with any issues in a way that they instinctively understand and that is making total sense to them.
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
Who is the boss - your guinea pig or you? (tips on how to deal with problem piggies)
" Biting" And What You Can Do

Here are our diet recommendations (with a sample diet), to prevent overweight, and information on how you can check whether your piggies are a good weight for their size at any age by feeling around the ribcage. Please be aware that over 80% of the daily food intake should be hay with a mix of fresh veg only making around 10% and a tablespoon of pellets 5%. Ditch any pet shop junk food treats and rather treat with variety hays and dried forage. Guinea pigs are junkies for fat and sugar like us, and the combination is as bad for them as it is for us. A good diet and daily exercise can really make a huge difference in their overall health and life span.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Abbie Brooks]

I got my guinea pig, Mr Pigglesworth, a few months ago. When we first got him he was with another guinea pig, Ollie. they both got sick, but Ollie was a runt so ecen at the vet with all the care they could provide he didnt make it. Mr pigglesworth, however, is totally fine. except... I'm pretty sure he hates me. H is super fat and will only let me hold him when I'm feeding him. when i dont have food in my hands, he runs away when i try to pick him up. He also bites my fingers lightly as if testing if they are food. I dont know if that aggressive or not. When i pet him a lot without feeding him he chatters his teeth at me, and he'll also try to throw himself out of my arms sometimes. But he confuses me because whenever i walk into my room he comes out of his igloo and starts popcorning happily, and he doesnt seem afraid of me at all. Advice please! I want him be comfortable with me because i love him so much! I honestly dont know what to do anymore.

One other thing, he has a big lump on his butt, and I'm not sure if i should be concerned about it.

I cant really offer much advise but in terms of the finger biting, I have found Acorn (my female guinea pig) tends to bite my nails if I ever leave them near her mouth (I guess she thinks because they are solid they are chew toys or something) but when it is my skin she tends to just lick/kiss me.

 

[cavylover2002]

As everyone has said above, guinea pigs are prey animals and it can take awhile (if ever) for them to like to be picked up/cuddled. I've had my two boys for around a year now and they love to come up to the cage bars when they see me and they also let me pet them/rub their backs (they love a good scratch in that hard to reach place lol)...but then when I try to pick them up, they will inch forward/run. It is not unusual at all and don't feel bad!
As for the finger biting, that's not altogether unusual either (depends on how hard the guinea pig is biting down). When I stick my finger in front of Gingy to rup his nose, he will give me a light lick and then a tiny little bite which I can barely feel lol.
You are not the first to post a thread like this. many people think they're guinea pig(s) hate them but it is NOT the case at all, it's just their nature. Pet stores also have false Info (not sure if yours was from a store?x) claiming that "guinea pigs are super cuddly" and they CAN be but it's just not always the case! Hope this info helped and yeah I'd def get that lump checked out by a vet if it looks serious .

 

[Flutterby]

 

[mylittlefarm<3]

Sounds normal to me. Pigs are prey animals and generally do not enjoy being grabbed. My three run to the bars when I come in to their room and they’ll follow me around the dining room when they’re on the floor but only one of them will allow me to stroke her when they’re ‘loose’ and they’ve only recently started letting me pick them up with the use of a tunnel (They are 3 now)

Check out the sticky threads on pig language to learn how to speak pig to make sure you’re not inadvertently acting like a predator.

I’d get him to a vet if he has a lump.

Yep sounds normal. I have had my lot for nearly 3 years and they run off when I try to pick them up. You say he is super fat, what is his weight? Can you feel his ribs under a layer of fat? If so he is not overweight (Some piggies are just naturally large). Everytime I take Meg to the vets I get told she's overweight. She is just a piggy with a big bum but I can feel her ribs under a layer of fat so I know she's OK. Here are the Piggy Whispering tips that @Guineapigfeet mentioned.

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?


Does Mr Pigglesworth have a new friend? They really are happier with a friend to do piggy bimbling with and talk piggy talk.

Companionship

thanks Betsy! I will read the link its good to know he might not hate me lol

 

[mylittlefarm<3]

I can highly recommend the guinea pig whispering thread that Betsy has linked to above. You need to be able to handle him without feeding especially if he is becoming overweight as you will definitely not be helping his health through over feeding treats. The popcorning I suspect is finally having company/stimulation which they usually get from cagemates so definitely look into getting him a new friend, a lot of the reputable rescues on our rescue locator page do boar dating meaning he can pick his own friend and you are much more likely to end up with a compatible partnership.

On top of this I would pop along to the vet to get the lump tested to find out what it is. Some lumps in guinea pigs are harmless and can be left without much cause for concern as long as they aren't causing pain or stopping them from moving around. Other lumps need sooner treatment to stop them from becoming a bigger problem in the future.

yeah he doesnt seem bothered by it at all, even when i touch it (although he squirms when i poke him at all) thanks

 

[mylittlefarm<3]

Yep sounds normal. I have had my lot for nearly 3 years and they run off when I try to pick them up. You say he is super fat, what is his weight? Can you feel his ribs under a layer of fat? If so he is not overweight (Some piggies are just naturally large). Everytime I take Meg to the vets I get told she's overweight. She is just a piggy with a big bum but I can feel her ribs under a layer of fat so I know she's OK. Here are the Piggy Whispering tips that @Guineapigfeet mentioned.

Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips

How Do I Settle Shy New Guinea Pigs?


Does Mr Pigglesworth have a new friend? They really are happier with a friend to do piggy bimbling with and talk piggy talk.

Companionship

I can feel his ribs under a layer of fat thank you again for the great thread!