I don't know what to do...

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Something that happened yesterday evening, after I read something on the forum earlier in the day also had me wondering if she might be grumpy because she's on heat for the first time.

I was giving her her "mumy's home" cuddle when I got in from work and when I put her back I'd noticed she'd gunked on my hand. I say gunked, it was kind of like clear fleghm but from her rear and I remember reading in one of the welfare forums yesterday someone else saw their sow do this and a vet told her she might be in season, but I can't find that thread. Is this another possibility for the biting?
 
Also, I see no sign of mites (I read up yesterday on how to spot them) for those of you who asked.

Also, she sometimes makes a funny noise before she tries to bite, kind of like a car stalling. I think I read somewhere that that means she's angry. :'(
 
Possibly, keep an eye on it anyway to see if it happens again, or there is any blood at all you may need to get her checked at the vet's. Also I don't know where you got her from, but someone did mention if they have mites it can actually make them uncomfortable to be handled, so try if you can to lift her fur (particularly at the lower back) & look closely for any little black specks or running lice etc, as they will need treating.

One of mine always seemed to pick up static lice from their hay until I started using just Timothy hay. Maybe get her sat on your Mum's lap whilst you take a look?
 
Oops cross posted lol! It's no reflection on you as an owner if she has picked up some critters, hay is full of them lol!
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Possibly, keep an eye on it anyway to see if it happens again, or there is any blood at all you may need to get her checked at the vet's. Also I don't know where you got her from, but someone did mention if they have mites it can actually make them uncomfortable to be handled, so try if you can to lift her fur (particularly at the lower back) & look closely for any little black specks or running lice etc, as they will need treating.

One of mine always seemed to pick up static lice from their hay until I started using just Timothy hay. Maybe get her sat on your Mum's lap whilst you take a look?
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I will keep an eye on it, I've seen no sign of blood anywhere so I'm not majorly panicking and I seperated her fur last night with her on my lap to have a look (I've had to check cats for fleas so I kind of went by that as to how to look for them) I couldn't see anything but her skin and it was a normal shade, not red or itchy look or anything and no sign of any wierd things running around on her, nothing black and no tiny white worms (I read in a care pack that's what their lice look like, although I checked for anything that looked out of the ordinary). I couldn't see any small bumps along the strands of hair either, which I'm told is how you spot fur mites. I'll have another look tonight though, just in case.
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Oops cross posted lol! It's no reflection on you as an owner if she has picked up some critters, hay is full of them lol!
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I've heard she can also get it from a variety of different beddings, I'm not overly worried if I do find some on her, I'll just take her on the bus to the vets and get some special shampoo for her. :)
 
Oh no they are nothing like as big as cat fleas lol! Look at her rump, at least for the static lice they are tiny black specks at the root of the hair shaft, they were easy to spot on my girlies though as they had white botties :) they didn't actually look like they were moving either. Any dandruff looking stuff can be a tell tell sign thing too.

I wonder whether maybe not to get her out of her cage for a day or two, just feed her (not through the bars) so she feels safe for a bit. Maybe it's a little too much too soon for her?
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Oh no they are nothing like as big as cat fleas lol! Look at her rump, at least for the static lice they are tiny black specks at the root of the hair shaft, they were easy to spot on my girlies though as they had white botties :) they didn't actually look like they were moving either. Any dandruff looking stuff can be a tell tell sign thing too.

I wonder whether maybe not to get her out of her cage for a day or two, just feed her (not through the bars) so she feels safe for a bit. Maybe it's a little too much too soon for her?
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Oh no, I wasn't look for something that looked like cat fleas, I was just seperating the fur in the same way we do with the cats, so it exposes a nice patch of skin. But nothing looked out of the ordinary, just nice soft skin. I couldn't even see any dandruff.

That might be an idea, but she seems happiest when she's running around on the floor, it's just when I pick her up and cuddle her after. lol
 
biting

Hi (I'm a veterinary nurse), The worst thing you can do is tell him off, he's doing it to stop you from getting your hands on him and the worst thing you can do is give a reaction because he then realises that biting works. Get yourself a pair of thick gloves (gardening or welders gloves are ace). When he bites don't react in anyway and continue to pick him up gently, do this at least 3 times a day and handle him for 15 minutes, whilst handling talk to him like a baby and offer him his favourite treats. It will take time but the biting will stop, I hope this helps, it certainly works with biting bunnies!
 
crumpets said:
Hi (I'm a veterinary nurse), The worst thing you can do is tell him off, he's doing it to stop you from getting your hands on him and the worst thing you can do is give a reaction because he then realises that biting works. Get yourself a pair of thick gloves (gardening or welders gloves are ace). When he bites don't react in anyway and continue to pick him up gently, do this at least 3 times a day and handle him for 15 minutes, whilst handling talk to him like a baby and offer him his favourite treats. It will take time but the biting will stop, I hope this helps, it certainly works with biting bunnies!
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She's a she... :... lol

I don't want to wear gloves while I handle her, I think that would probably frighten her even more as she wouldn't be able to smell me. I don't tell her off exactly, and I don't squeek when I react or anything, I literally just say "no, don't do that" in a monotone voice so it sounds firm but not harsh.

Giving treats seems like a way of rewarding that kind of behaviour, so I'm not sure that's such a good idea either. I haven't stopped handling her and I won't, I don't react badly when she bites me, it hurts but I don't flinch or anything. (I'm clumsy and used to getting hurt all the time, I also used to have a hamster that frequently bit me.)
 
My piggies bit when they were little, but they seem to have grown out of it. I don't necessarily think they always bite out of fear, particularly in babies, but just curiousity. "Hmmm...what does this taste like? NOM NOM NOM!". It can ofcourse be a sign that something displeases them...but I found with mine, they would do it completely randomly. Jeff would very gently nibble, but Ed was more of a nipper (although he wouldn't draw blood).

Mind you, Jeff nipped me last month when he'd spent 30mins outside in the garden and I picked him up to take him back to his cage rolleyes...clearly wasn't impressed!

You could wrap her up in a blanket or cuddle cup to avoid bites when you pick her up.
 
2280CLAIRE said:
My piggies bit when they were little, but they seem to have grown out of it. I don't necessarily think they always bite out of fear, particularly in babies, but just curiousity. "Hmmm...what does this taste like? NOM NOM NOM!". It can ofcourse be a sign that something displeases them...but I found with mine, they would do it completely randomly. Jeff would very gently nibble, but Ed was more of a nipper (although he wouldn't draw blood).

Mind you, Jeff nipped me last month when he'd spent 30mins outside in the garden and I picked him up to take him back to his cage rolleyes...clearly wasn't impressed!

You could wrap her up in a blanket or cuddle cup to avoid bites when you pick her up.
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It sounds kind of like Jeff's nipping is similar, it's nearly always after playtime she does it, when I try to pick her up and take her back to bed. But I don't understand why she only does it to me and not my mum. lol
 
I'd keep going as your are, if you don't show any reaction she'll soon stop nipping given time, the growling/ strange noise before nipping sounds like normal dominant pig behaviour. In regards to treats it wouldn't be rewarding bad behaviour as you wouldn't give it when she nips you, just whilst you are handling her so that she starts to see handling is a good thing. It also sounds like she is only nipping and not going for an aggressive bite which would certainly cause a reaction! Keep up the good work!
 
crumpets said:
I'd keep going as your are, if you don't show any reaction she'll soon stop nipping given time, the growling/ strange noise before nipping sounds like normal dominant pig behaviour. In regards to treats it wouldn't be rewarding bad behaviour as you wouldn't give it when she nips you, just whilst you are handling her so that she starts to see handling is a good thing. It also sounds like she is only nipping and not going for an aggressive bite which would certainly cause a reaction! Keep up the good work!
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SO how do I show her I'm the dominant one when blowing in her face and telling her no don't work? :))
 
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