To prevent your guinea pig from injuries or other health issues causing pain, you should start by keeping the guinea pig cage clean. Several guinea pigs can even form sniffing trains, in which they line up with their noses at each others rear ends. The older guinea pig may be more prone to acting chill and laid back. What you have to do is to give them plenty of toys, hiding places and other activities to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. Knowing the norms and abnormalities of guinea pig behavior can be essential to determine if and when to intervene. The best way to solve the dominance issue is to pair an older and a younger cavy. Guinea pigs are one of the most popular small pets due to their sweet, gentle nature. What You'll Learn [ show] If one cavy is considerably larger than the other, they could strike and accidentally kill the smaller one. It probably didn't mean to bite you and realized your fingers wasn't food as soon as it made contact with them. Guinea pigs can also bite each other because they feel they are competing over resources, such as food or space. As mentioned earlier, guinea pigs need their space from time to time. Recently, I watched. Females guinea pigs have also shown to be less social when they are in heat and may be less tolerant of other guinea pigs and handling. You can place a male and a female guinea pig in a cage, but make sure they are spayed or neutered. If you suspect your guinea pig is sick or in pain, don't handle it more than necessary and bring them into the vet. Guinea pigs feel better being out in the fresh air and playing with their owners. Why Do Hamsters Bleed Before They Die?- Understanding the Causes, How to Catch a Hamster? Therefore, even though guinea pigs may not usually kill each other, they can transmit diseases that can be very dangerous. This may be a concern, particularly for children who do not comprehend why their loving pet might bite them. If fighting between the two becomes too serious or violent, they could hurt each other, so separating them until they can learn to coexist peacefully may be necessary. If your guinea pig is nipping at the others bum, it is telling the other guinea pig they are in charge. Heres What You Need To Know. Can Guinea Pigs Eat Strawberries, Tops, and Leaves? There are some steps to take if you find yourself in this situation without causing more damage. Three guinea pigs can also fit in a 10.5 square feet cage, but its best to get a larger one, at least 13 square feet. But not all biting and chewing are bad. Several signals may occur between guinea pigs who feel threatened by the other pigs presence. This will help to reduce aggression and fighting. If guinea pigs are not behaving normally, they could be sick or stressed. Guinea pigs feel stress like people or other animals. Your guinea pig might be biting you due to the smell of food in your hands. Once they are socialized and bonded, they do not tend to bite each other, unless something else is wrong. Anyone can become cranky and display aggression when theyre bored, including guinea pigs. Handle your guinea pigs with gentle care. Find him on FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND Linkedin If you notice your guinea pigs biting each other, there are a few things you can do to help resolve the situation. These are the most common reasons why guinea pigs may bite at each other's bums. Another behavior usually known as rumble strutting is also normal. If the nipping gets frequent and/or draws blood, you will have to intervene. This can occur between the young and old, male and female, and piggies with varying degrees of temperament. Make sure the guinea pig cages have enough food, enough toys, and enough toys. In fact, guinea pigs often consume the feces: While there is nothing wrong with a guinea pig eating its own or another guinea pigs poop, it is important to make sure that your guinea pig is getting a proper diet. this post deserved to be sharedlots of gems! When guinea pigs are injured or in pain, they tend to be cranky and aggressive towards their cage mates. They may bite at another guinea pig if they are hungry or competing over food. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Get all latest content a few times a month! However, if you notice they dont seem to like each other and engage in violent behavior, you will need to act (I will explain this a little later). That being said, guinea pigs are still animals, and sometimes biting cannot be prevented. That being said, there are a few other reasons why your guinea pig might be eating his cage. Do not put them in a cage together right away. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. What You Need to Know, The males make noises and strut around each other but dont attack, I wrote a great section on about all, One of them or even both will yawn widely to show off their teeth. Considering bringing home a friendly cavy for your furry friend. Guinea pigs are social creatures that do best when living in pairs or small groups. Sometimes guinea pigs like dogs are also so attracted to their owners that they can recognize their voice and smell from so far. This can be problematic, especially for kids that don't understand why their beloved pet would bite them. What To Do If Your Guinea Pig Bites You And It Bleeds?4. Home >> Pets >> Why Do Guinea Pigs Smell Each Others Bums? [5 Common Reasons To Be Aware Of], Can Guinea Pigs Eat Lavender? Wear protective gloves and throw in a towel or some food to distract them. Posted on Last updated: September 21, 2022. That is the short answer. The most common reason is that they are bored and looking for something to do. A guinea pig may occasionally bite as a response to their emotions or environments. why do guinea pigs bite each others bums. An easy fix: throw in some more food whether it be pellets, vegetables, or more hay. If your guinea pigs are aggressive towards each other, they may need to be temporarily separated. Just be patient. Adult guinea pigs tend to assert dominance and younger ones tend to be more submissive. They may squeal, sniff or bite each others bums, or walk nose-bum throughout their enclosure. They may bite each others hair or ears as they play. Be careful when dealing with this situation since guinea pigs have sharp teeth. It is important that they be housed in an area that is large enough for them to roam about, as well as stocked with a variety of food and water. Exploration Image Credit: The Escape of Malee, Shutterstock. 4 Reasons Why Is My Guinea Pig Jumping And Twitching | Learn How To Cure Them, Can An Eye Infection Kill A Hamster? Biting results primarily from fear, but there are several other biological and environmental reasons for such behavior. Guinea Pigs May Lick as a Sign of Affection or Grooming In some cases, guinea pigs may lick or try to groom you as a sign of affection. When more than one guinea pig is housed together, they should each have their own cover, water bottle, and food bowl to avoid jealousy or lack of food and water. Guinea pigs love to eat and even have some favorite foods. Even though guinea pigs are sociable creatures, not all of them are compatible. If you observe some posturing, butt-dragging, butt-sniffing, teeth chattering, and stressed squeaking that results in one of the piggies backing down and becoming submissive, they are just asserting dominance. In contrast, unfamiliar scents represent a threat to that safety. Most of the time, if the guinea pigs were purchased and raised together at the same time, there is less of a chance for the two to get into a biting match. ). In most cases, its nothing to worry about, but if it becomes excessive, most likely theyre trying to communicate something to you. If their behavior escalates or becomes too aggressive, however, its time to separate them. Its best to pair a dominant piggy with submissive guinea pigs. Meet Lisa G, the founder and author of RodentsFact.com. Guinea pigs tend to develop a strong relationship with its owner and persons. This is something they do intuitively, and it isn't necessarily an indicator of anger. A guinea pigs bite is not powerful enough to break the skin and draw blood, but it may display symptoms of aggressiveness in self-defense when it feels threatened and afraid. Why is my guinea pig biting the other guinea pigs bum? If they're living in an unhappy situation or a stressful environment, they may feel anxious or overwhelmed. Uncomfortable handling #2. financial planning companies in bangalore Search. Noise or commotion, in general, can also be a trigger when it comes to biting. I know that this might be a hard thing to read about, but its important to be aware of the dark side of these cute little creatures. Of course, sometimes guinea pigs just dont get along. As mentioned earlier, guinea pig dominance behavior can last a couple of weeks. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. While they can be quite vocal during play, they may also become aggressive if they feel threatened. But why do guinea pigs eat each other? What to do if your guinea pigs are biting each other? Guinea pigs are able to bite if they want to, but most choose not to. And select those that seem to be friendly towards each other. Can Baking Soda Kill A Hamster? Your guinea pig may have gotten confused and thought your fingers were actually its chew stick or snack. Their natural instincts will kick in to protect their territory and lives at whatever cost. One of the main reasons why guinea pigs bite each other is to assert dominance and establish whos in charge. You may need to intervene if you notice that your guinea pigs are causing injury, not eating or drinking, or the dominance phase doesnt appear to end. Guinea pigs like to chase each other and play hide and seek as a form of entertainment. It is best to separate them safely. In fact, in the wild, guinea pigs live in social groups consisting of a dominant male, several females, and their offspring. This makes it more prone to bite. You can categorize a guinea pigs personality into either submissive or dominant. While they are very useful with other animals, such as cats and dogs, they are not How Do You Say Hello in Guinea Pig? This is a common mating behavior in male pigs. This behavior can be characterized by several factors, from bonding with new cage mates to lack of nutrition or stress. HOME; ABOUT US. Blood can be drawn at this point and as the owner, it is up to you to separate the battling pigs. Guinea pigs are personable, don't take up a huge amount of space, and are usually very gentle. Make sure that your guinea pig doesn't appear to be in pain if it's trying to bite. If theyre fighting for a female, make sure to spay or neuter them. Some of the reasons your guinea pigs could be hostile towards each other include. If you have two cavies that are constantly fighting, its best to look for a better pairing in order to keep them both safe and happy. When human beings are in their presence, they want to see, smell and hear the voice. In some cases, a mother guinea pig may be overly aggressive and bite her own pups in order to protect them. Keeping up with their necessities will also reduce the competition over food, water, or hay. Provide food so pigs can experience eating together. Use a towel, oven mitt, or anything you can think of to protect your hands as you move them away from each other. It's the biggest motivation to help us to make the site better. In fact, its not uncommon for them to bite each others back and neck during these scuffles. You will need to know what to do to prevent injuries. (Surprising Facts), How Fast Can aLeopardRun (Average Speed), Do Armadillos Lay Eggs? Leftover food could develop bacteria which isnt good for your cavys digestive health. However, if two guinea pigs dont get along well with each other, it can result in them biting and attacking one another. This behavior is especially common when two unfamiliar cavies are first introduced, as they must both define their social hierarchy. These are full-blown fights where none of them shows signs of backing down. A guinea pig may occasionally bite as a response to their emotions or environments. As the younger piggy grows older, he/she may challenge the older one. If you realize that your guinea pigs biting behavior is no longer due to dominance or socializing, they may be incompatible. When youre feeding your guinea pig, be sure to include hay, pellets, and vegetables. I decided to investigate this further, and heres what I found out. [The Case Against Pee Pads], link to How Do You Say Hello in Guinea Pig? Why is My Guinea Pig Coughing When Eating? Why do guinea pigs eat each others poop? It is normal for Guineans to nip each other occasionally. Usually, guinea pigs tell their partners about how they are feeling by giving them silent hints. She now works with a team of other experienced vets to provide the best advice and care for their clients' pets. Why Do Guinea Pigs Cry? In most instances, bum sniffing and biting are normal behavior, but if it appears aggressive, you now know what to do to break up a fight or separate them. There may be some need to nudge pigs toward one another, but otherwise, let introductions proceed as if they were occurring in the wild.