Mixed Signals: Troublemaker Personality Or Genuinely Angry?

[LDs_mom]

So I got my piggy Lieutenant Dan (aka Dan Halen) a few months ago (he may be an Abyssinian? He is my profile photo)) and even though he's still young and likely hormonal, I'm not sure if his current behaviors are just his young personality or if it sounds like he is actually not content. So here's what's going on:

When I reach into his cage, he will run over and bite me, even if I'm giving him food/hay/treats/anything he enjoys, really. The bites have gotten more rough than his previous "test bites". So, my natural first impression is that he does NOT want me interacting with him at the time. But when I close the door to his cage and walk away so he can have some space, he wheeks VERY loudly until I come back over to him. He is a total ham when the cage door is open and constantly does happy little hops, but when I put my hand even NEAR his cage, he chomps on the cage walls and tries to bite me through it. It almost seems like a game to him?

So, has anyone experienced this before? Does this seem like just a personality quirk, or are there some extra steps I can take to bond with him better?
Any and all tips/comments are appreciated!

 

[sport_billy]

What a awesome name! he is indeed an Abby handsome lad!

I am going to tag @Wiebke in for you as this is not common behaviour. It may be however he is thinking you are always bringing food.

 

[Wiebke]

So I got my piggy Lieutenant Dan (aka Dan Halen) a few months ago (he may be an Abyssinian? He is my profile photo)) and even though he's still young and likely hormonal, I'm not sure if his current behaviors are just his young personality or if it sounds like he is actually not content. So here's what's going on:

When I reach into his cage, he will run over and bite me, even if I'm giving him food/hay/treats/anything he enjoys, really. The bites have gotten more rough than his previous "test bites". So, my natural first impression is that he does NOT want me interacting with him at the time. But when I close the door to his cage and walk away so he can have some space, he wheeks VERY loudly until I come back over to him. He is a total ham when the cage door is open and constantly does happy little hops, but when I put my hand even NEAR his cage, he chomps on the cage walls and tries to bite me through it. It almost seems like a game to him?

So, has anyone experienced this before? Does this seem like just a personality quirk, or are there some extra steps I can take to bond with him better?
Any and all tips/comments are appreciated!

Hi!

With single guinea pigs you often end up at the receiving end of social dominance behaviour for lack of of interaction with their own kind, which all guinea pigs depend on as they are group animals. This gets more noticeable when there is a vacuum in terms of a hierarchy, on which guinea pig society depends. Your boy is now in the teenage months and is currently pushing his boundaries with you, as is normal for that age.

Please take the time to read this guide and make use of our piggy whispering tips as discussed in the guide. Use the behaviours for conveying affection, but establish your dominance to give your boy the structure he craves but still feels welcome. The lead guinea pig says what goes and what not in the group. If you meet any tweaking with a disapproving sound (with me it is uh uh uh uh) and if necessary reinforce your dominance, he will behave quite quickly once you frame the problem in ways that he can instinctively understand and accept.
" Biting" And What You Can Do
How To Understand Guinea Pig Instincts And Speak Piggy Body Language
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

In the longer term, it would be great if you considered same sex company, but please don't rush out and buy a baby boy; do your research on this forum first. No guinea pig should be kept alone without contact with their own species.
As you are currently being demonstrated, as a human, you just can't fill that gap.
Companionship