Piggy nipping me

[Phoenix Kitteh]

I'm a proud mama of a now 13-week-old little sow. Though it hasn't been proven yet because she is still very skittish (still hasn't gained her confidence), we (and the vet) believe she is partially or fully blind.

Now I wanted to know if it is common for young blind piggies to nip. She never does it hard but anytime my hand is near her, whether in the cage or being held, she will nip my finger. We usually joke that she just thinks my finger is a carrot, but I'm wondering if she is doing it out of fear or if she thinks my fingers are food.

I was also wondering if it is normal behavior for her to constantly hide. We've had her about 2 months now and she spends most her time in hiding which concerns me about bumblefoot because she is constantly laying in her own feces and urine. Since put with her cage mate a month and a half ago she no longer spends the entire time crying in the cage and seems to be more comfortable, but like I said...she spends most her time in hiding and I wonder if it's due to the fact that it's taking her longer to settle in and feel comfortable with her surroundings and confident because of the blindness and if it's something else.

 

[Siikibam]

Guinea pigs are prey animals and can sometimes take a long time to settle in. As long as she is gaining weight every week then you’ll know she is eating enough. Patience is the name of the game you will have to play. As for nipping, it can mean different things depending on the context. Have a read of the guide below. And consider whether her nipping is a sign she wants to be put down or she doesn’t want to be touched etc.

What are they bedded on? She shouldn’t be getting wet from lying in her hide - the urging should be wicked away and the surface stays dry.
" Biting" And What You Can Do (Biting, Tweaking, Nibbling and Nipping)

 

[Wiebke]

I'm a proud mama of a now 13-week-old little sow. Though it hasn't been proven yet because she is still very skittish (still hasn't gained her confidence), we (and the vet) believe she is partially or fully blind.

Now I wanted to know if it is common for young blind piggies to nip. She never does it hard but anytime my hand is near her, whether in the cage or being held, she will nip my finger. We usually joke that she just thinks my finger is a carrot, but I'm wondering if she is doing it out of fear or if she thinks my fingers are food.

I was also wondering if it is normal behavior for her to constantly hide. We've had her about 2 months now and she spends most her time in hiding which concerns me about bumblefoot because she is constantly laying in her own feces and urine. Since put with her cage mate a month and a half ago she no longer spends the entire time crying in the cage and seems to be more comfortable, but like I said...she spends most her time in hiding and I wonder if it's due to the fact that it's taking her longer to settle in and feel comfortable with her surroundings and confident because of the blindness and if it's something else.

Hi!

Your blind girl is just feeling more comfy in a secure place because she cannot spot predators. Just accept her as she is and not as what you think she should be. I have very confident piggies but I have and have also had a goodly number of what I call 'lurkers', piggies that prefer to stay put and hang back, seeing or not. It is just how they are. Your little girl may gradually unwind, but that is more a matter of months or even years than one of weeks or days.

Because she cannot see, tweaking and nipping in her case is likely a matter of communication. It can be simply a sign that she wants back in the cage/needs to pee in her case or is not happy with something.

If you are not keen on a specific behaviour, use the piggy whispering technique that she will understand immediately to communicate your (friendly) dominance and at the same time love to show her which behaviours of hers you do not appreciate in your herd, which she is part of. But always respect her wanting to communicate something to you and that you work out what it is that she is trying to tell you.
Here is the link: Who is the boss - your guinea pig or you?

 

[Phoenix Kitteh]

Hi!

Your blind girl is just feeling more comfy in a secure place because she cannot spot predators. Just accept her as she is and not as what you think she should be. I have very confident piggies but I have and have also had a goodly number of what I call 'lurkers', piggies that prefer to stay put and hang back, seeing or not. It is just how they are. Your little girl may gradually unwind, but that is more a matter of months or even years than one of weeks or days.

Because she cannot see, tweaking and nipping in her case is likely a matter of communication. It can be simply a sign that she wants back in the cage/needs to pee in her case or is not happy with something.

If you are not keen on a specific behaviour, use the piggy whispering technique that she will understand immediately to communicate your (friendly) dominance and at the same time love to show her which behaviours of hers you do not appreciate in your herd, which she is part of. But always respect her wanting to communicate something to you and that you work out what it is that she is trying to tell you.
Here is the link: Who is the boss - your guinea pig or you?

Okay, both of you stated what I kinda already believed...but just needed a second opinion.

As for the nipping, it can be something as simple as I'm leaning into the cage to sweep their poop and she'll randomly walk up to my hands sniff it and nip my finger tip. Never really hard, it just seems like she's testing the waters to see if my hand is food.

As for the bedding, I use the normal fleece and reusable potty pads and they get washed very frequently. It's more or less paranoia because once she finds a spot she'll like she will stay in it almost all day except to venture out to eat or drink. So I get paranoid that she's staying a lot in the same spot while she potties and in the back of my head I fear bumblefoot.

Long story short I'm just overly paranoid LOL

 

[Wiebke]

Okay, both of you stated what I kinda already believed...but just needed a second opinion.

As for the nipping, it can be something as simple as I'm leaning into the cage to sweep their poop and she'll randomly walk up to my hands sniff it and nip my finger tip. Never really hard, it just seems like she's testing the waters to see if my hand is food.

As for the bedding, I use the normal fleece and reusable potty pads and they get washed very frequently. It's more or less paranoia because once she finds a spot she'll like she will stay in it almost all day except to venture out to eat or drink. So I get paranoid that she's staying a lot in the same spot while she potties and in the back of my head I fear bumblefoot.

Long story short I'm just overly paranoid LOL

Try to take a deep breath and take a step back. You can work on the tweaking aspect by gently asserting your authority.

The other behaviour is not unusual and indeed very common in the middle-aged to older piggies without causing bumble-foot.

At risk are the piggies with a weakened immune system through neglect or very old age where it combines with the inability to clean themselves/dimished mobility in some.
Keep in mind that saliva contains a some low level antibiotic components, which are spread all over the body during the several times daily piggy washes. That is a good general nonstop protection - and also the reason why baths not for medical reasons should be kept to a minimum because they interfere with the natural defenses from the saliva and the skin microbiome. A certain level of muck is actually needed in order to stimulate the immune system and keep it stimulated but your girl isn't at any risk.

Also keep in mind that guinea pigs are most active at dawn or dusk and that they rest during the day and night, which just a little pottering around. Having to digest their grass/hay fibre twice to get the nutrition out means that they are busy with digesting during the downtime.

PS: I have just written an article about Pet Anxiety for our coming May issue in Guinea Pig Magazine in case you are interested. It has also got lots of very practical tips. The magazine is available as a cheaper download option as well as a print internationally.
Guinea Pig Magazine

 

[Phoenix Kitteh]

Try to take a deep breath and take a step back. You can work on the tweaking aspect by gently asserting your authority.

The other behaviour is not unusual and indeed very common in the middle-aged to older piggies without causing bumble-foot.

At risk are the piggies with a weakened immune system through neglect or very old age where it combines with the inability to clean themselves/dimished mobility in some.
Keep in mind that saliva contains a some low level antibiotic components, which are spread all over the body during the several times daily piggy washes. That is a good general nonstop protection - and also the reason why baths not for medical reasons should be kept to a minimum because they interfere with the natural defenses from the saliva and the skin microbiome. A certain level of muck is actually needed in order to stimulate the immune system and keep it stimulated but your girl isn't at any risk.

Also keep in mind that guinea pigs are most active at dawn or dusk and that they rest during the day and night, which just a little pottering around. Having to digest their grass/hay fibre twice to get the nutrition out means that they are busy with digesting during the downtime.

PS: I have just written an article about Pet Anxiety for our coming May issue in Guinea Pig Magazine in case you are interested. It has also got lots of very practical tips. The magazine is available as a cheaper download option as well as a print internationally.
Guinea Pig Magazine

I know and I'm trying to stay calm about it. She's only 14 weeks old so it's the youngness I worry about. Cuz I've only taken care of middle age and older piggies. As for the bath I only give it when needed which is very rarely. She's got pink ears nose and feet so I think seeing a little bit of darker pink/redness just made me a little worried because I'm always super cautious about their health. I've just not ever had such a shy/scared piggy before.