Guinea pigs are adorable little creatures to own. They are fun and like to play with their humans. But, there are times where they can get scared and react in a harsh manner. Do guinea pig bite? Can they even hurt you?
“Simply put, guinea pigs can bite you. But, there is nothing to worry about. This is due to the fact they don’t actually bite and just nibble. More importantly, they do not use their teeth. So it shouldn’t hurt you as much.”
Although you wouldn’t get hurt, you should take the hint that something is bothering your cute little piggy. Here’s everything you need to know if your pet is biting you.
Guinea Pig Bites – Why And What To Do?
Are you anxious that your guinea pig might bite you? Or did that poor little creature already bit you? Here is our take on guinea pig bites to allow you to understand your pet better.
Is My Guinea Pig Just Playing Around Or Biting Me?
Just the way you like playing with your pet piggy, he or she might have some tricks for you as well. There are cases where your pet piggy simply wants to know you better – by tasting your thumb or finger.
When this happens there can be one major reason. Relax, it is nothing to be worried about. In fact, it is good that your pet is doing this.
This usually happens if you often feed your pet piggy with your hands.
Think of it this way, your pet gets excited to see his favorite food. He may end up getting a taste of your finger since you are hand-feeding him. It is not essentially biting and is more of nibbling.
However, It can be worrisome if your pet uses his teeth to bite you. If that happens, it is not nibbling anymore, and instead, it is your pet biting you.
As soon as your pet bites you, you should understand that something is bothering your pet friend.
Why Do Guinea Pigs Bite?
Guinea pigs are usually friendly. But just like us, each piggy has its own personality traits. Now that you have a better understanding of nibbling and biting, let’s get into the reasons why your pet may bite you.
One of the many reasons why guinea pigs bite is the fact that your pet may not like being held up all the time. It can irritate your pet and as a means of getting away, he or she may bite you.
But, there are other reasons why this might happen. Here’s a detailed insight into why guinea pigs bite.
1) Guinea Pigs Bite When They Are Feared:
Guinea pigs like any other animal can get scared. There are many scenarios where your pet may feel insecure or feared.
When your pet bites you, you should think of it as your pet’s way of getting your attention to tell you something is wrong. Here are some of the reasons that may fear your pet.
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Scent Of Other Animals:
When guinea pigs feel attacked or have a slight hint of them being attacked by predators, they get scared. If you own other pets such as cats or dogs, that may be it.
Their scent on your hands or around their cage may alarm them. It kind of puts your adorable little pet piggy in an aggressive and defensive mood and he or she may bite you.
To avoid all this, washing your hands might simply do the trick. It will remove the scent of your other pets from your hands if you have just pet them.
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Noisy Surroundings:
Noisy surroundings are one of the most common reasons why your pet may get scared or feel fear. This is specifically true if you own other pets, for instance, a cat or a sweet dog.
While your pet dog or cat might not have any intentions of harming your pet, your piggy may still fear them. Due to this, they can become nervous and as a result, they end up biting you.
This can be avoided by simply training your pet, which is discussed in the latter part of this article.
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Your Pet May Simply Be Scared Of You:
If you just got the pet or he or she is new to the world, they may be scared of you. It takes time for pets to get accustomed to their owners and trust them.
In addition to this, if you often pick up your pet they can get scared pretty easily. If your pet is having a meal or is doing something and you pick them up, he or she may get scared.
2) Guinea Pigs Bite When They Are In Pain:
Guinea pigs cannot talk to you just by making their cute little noises. But, they can talk to you by biting you. As mentioned earlier, biting is their way of telling you that something is wrong.
We all like picking up our pets and I’m pretty sure you do too. When you hold your pet too tightly, he or she can feel uncomfortable.
If that isn’t the case, there may be something wrong with your pet’s health. If you are doing everything by the book and not holding your pet too tight, there is a chance that your pet is hurt.
You need to contact your vet immediately if this does not go away. Let your vet take a look at your pet and find out what may be causing the problem.
3) Guinea Pigs Bite When They Are Unhappy:
Guinea pigs are fun animals and there is no denying that. When you feed them nice treats like watermelons on a hot summer day, get really excited and happy.
But there are cases where your pet may simply be unhappy. It can be due to the fact that he does not have any friends besides you. Getting another pet guinea pig might help.
Your pet piggy generally likes being social. You might be treating him with his favorite foods but if your pet still feels lonely, you might consider getting him a friend piggy. One that understands his language.
When you get him a friend piggy, make sure there is ample space for the both of them. Feed them nice treats so that they both can be happy.
How To Train A Guinea Pig Not To Bite?
Guinea pigs bite when they feel threatened or feared, or simply out of sheer excitement for their favorite food. But, this is certainly nothing that you should be worried about.
To prevent your pet from biting you, you can teach him not to.
“There is nothing in the world that couldn’t be fixed by showing some affection. The same goes for your pet piggy as well.”
Give your pet some love and feed him nice treats like mangoes, blueberries, peaches, and pineapples.
In addition to this, you should also consider the following.
- If you pick your pet guinea pig too often, stop.
- Wash your hands before petting him or her if your pet piggy is surrounded by the scents of your other pigs.
- If your pet is scared by the noise of your other pets (cat or a dog), train him not to be scared. Show him some love and let your pet piggy get accustomed to them.
- Provide your pet with ample space.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Why Do My Guinea Pigs Bite Each Other?
If you have two guinea pigs and they keep biting each other, it is pretty normal. They do this often. As mentioned earlier, guinea pigs like to be social.
Biting each other is their way of having fun and teasing the other, in a cute way. If this becomes more frequent and not so cute, you need to keep them in separate cages.
2) Are Guinea Pig Bites Harmful To You?
Guinea pigs can nibble and bite your fingers. Situations like these are bound to happen and you shouldn’t be worried. They rarely use their teeth and only nibble on your fingers to see how your finger tastes like.
Even if your pet bites and uses his teeth, there is nothing to worry about. Just give your pet piggy some space and let him or her figure it out for themselves.
Come back after an hour or two and your pet piggy will love to be pet by you and spend time with you.
3) What To Do After Your Guinea Pig Bites You?
Guinea pigs rarely use their teeth and even if they do, it is essentially a peck. It might not cause bleeding and there is only a slim chance of your finger bleeding after a guinea pig bite.
If it leads to bleeding, you need to clean the affected area. Use water and let it dry afterward. After your finger dries off, grab an antibiotic and apply it to the affected area. Apply a bandage and you’ll be good to go.
4) What To Do After A Guinea Pig Bites Another Guinea Pig?
Did your guinea pig bite his fellow piggy friend? yes? you need to examine your piggy and look for signs of bleeding. If there is no bleeding, give your pet piggy some time and he will recover.
If there is bleeding, you need to take your pet to your local vet immediately.
Conclusion:
Do guinea pigs bite? Yes, but in rare cases. In most cases, they simply nibble on your finger just to taste their human. They rarely use their teeth and even if they do, it shouldn’t be alarming.
Your pet piggy bites when he or she feels scared, threatened, or nervous. Biting is their way of communicating with you and letting you know of their problems.
When your pet guinea pig bites you, you should give them ample space. Give them extra love and provide them with nice treats (not too often). That is all you need to do to train your pet piggy.