My guinea pig hates me!

LauraCascarelli

LauraCascarelli

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My guinea pig, teddy is not even a year old and I got him in early febuary 2018. Ever since he has hated me! He has bit me and has made me bleed. I just gave him his first bath and it seemed that he would rather jump out and get hurt then be clean. I rapped him in a towel to dry and he absolutely hated it! He us clam now that he is not rapped in it, but how do I make him like and accept me!? This never happened with my last pig.
 
There are many solutions to this problem. It could be the guinea pig is very stressed from bathing. Maybe your doing it wrong, try making it as quiet as possible and softly speak to him. It takes time to bond with your guinea pig. Some can take years. It’s odd for them to bite ever. They are very friendly animals. If I am honest with you I believe it’s impossible for a Guinea Pig to hate their owner. Maybe spend more time bonding before bathing. And maybe instead of bathing get grooming wipes to get rid of the stress. Make sure your guinea pig knows u are the one feeding it. Make sure to give him treats for good behavior. If he lets u pet him give him a treat. Guineas arent complicated animals. Their very simple it’s food that they want, and little to no stress.
 
I'm sure he doesn't hate you. Most animals don't like being bathed! My dogs as loving as they are get a little anxious at bath time so imagine how a prey animal must feel especially since he is fairly new to you. I bathed my two pigs the other day because I had to and to be honest they were good as gold which I wasn't expecting. On the other hand I just groomed Dexter who I got March this year and he rumble strutted at me XD He doesn't hate me. He's still a little skittish but u should see that little face looking at me first thing in the morning with his front feet on his food bowl waiting for his food. He gets excited when he sees I'm getting up. Frodo I got in November last year and he's very affectionate. He loves his back being tickled and will lie down with his legs going here there and everywhere. He gives me kisses and he's just adorable. On the other hand when I clean his cage out he gets very feisty! He doesn't bite but kind of rams me with his teeth. He's very territorial when it comes to cleaning time. He will lie in the uncleaned part of the cage so I can't get to it. It does make me laugh although it is naughty. I have to physically move him. once I'm done he's happy again and wants another tickle. I guess like any animal or human we've all got things we like and things we don't and things we tolerate a little less than someone else might. I wouldn't worry. I'm sure your little piggy shows you affection and loves you in his own little way :)
 
Oh man! One of mine just peed on my leg! How odd they don't normally do that. I wonder which one it was :hmm:
 
I’ve been blessed with their wee several times 🤨 once when I took them to school for show and tell. Another that evening during lap time. And also the first time I held them after I got them.

I don’t think guinea pigs like water and bathing so it’s understandable he wanted to jump out the water. The things to do are speak as you enter the room he’s in - predators won’t alert them to their presence, speak to him while you’re nearby and doing something else not related to him. Give him a treat now and again. I give mine (extra) coriander, in particular if I’ve taken them out the cage to weigh them it just to hold them for a minute or so. It will take time but just be persistent and most of all, PATIENT.

I’ve (we have) had mine (ours) coming up to 10 months and they’ll now Wheek when I (or husband or kids) come down the stairs at breakfast/dinner time. They come up to the cage bars to be stroked. They will sometimes still run away if I put my hand in to stroke them, probably because it’s scared them. And although they don’t like being taken out the cage (by hand), they are ok at lap time. I always try and do it when I see they’re laid down for a rest.
They’re clever little things as well. When I put food or hay in and tell them to go eat, they go to it! (We don’t speak to them in English so that shows you how intelligent they are!).

Sorry for the long post. Be patient and just interact with him. Take a look in the newbie section there’s something about bonding and guinea pig behaviour.
 
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...uk/threads/biting-and-what-you-can-do.133919/
I've attached two links to guides I think you will find helpful. There are loads of helpful guides in the section on the top bar, your poor boy sounds as if he is a nervous character. Like humans guinea pigs are all different it's a case of getting to know your boys fears and having patience with him. I have 6 guineas all very different and two very nervous, one of those is now getting on for 4 years old so I don't think he'll ever change we just have to adjust our treatment of him to keep him as happy with his interaction with us as we can. Putting a pet carrier in the cage and lifting him out that way rather than chasing round the cage with hands, giving a treat every time we do something with him etc. Not all guinea pigs are going to be cuddly lap pigs, as prey animals this is something very alien to their nature.
 
Sounds like he is nervous. My understanding is that they don't normally need to be bathed, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong?

Don't forget they are prey animals in the wild and their teeth are all they have to protect themselves. It does take a long time for them to settle in so do be patient but be gentle and he will come round.

Also learning to interpret their behaviour using the guides on this site is helpful, e.g. I thought my piggy was bad-tempered when she used to "nip" me but it turned out that's her way of asking to go back in her cage (I read it on one of these guides!)

Now I put her back when she does that, it's not a problem, and she's happy because she knows I understand.
 
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