Sharing is caring. Final thoughts on Why Do Guinea Pigs Smell Each Other Bums. Guinea pigs with a history of fighting may be risky to house with other guinea pigs. Do not put them in a cage together right away. However, if the purr is higher pitched, especially towards the end of the purr, this is more likely a sound of annoyance. Knowing the differences can help you learn about your guinea pigs personalities and if their behavior is normal. 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. Instinctively, a guinea pig would prefer to have a friend rather than be left in a cage all alone. Several behavioral facts that you can see if guinea pigs are about to fight are: Lunging and shoving each other with their noses. They might provide humans with a weird look, but they are clear with each other. Your email address will not be published. If choosing to have multiple guinea pigs of the opposite sex, it is highly recommended for the two to be spayed or neutered. When guinea pigs are having fun in their cages, they may bite at their bums. The majority of guinea pigs grow out of this tendency. Calico Guinea Pigs: 5 Things You Must Know! If you have more than one guinea pig, it's important to make sure they have enough space. I hope this clarifies any lingering questions you may have about why do guinea pigs bite each other bums. Find him on FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND Linkedin Close proximity too quickly does not allow for natural relationship building to take place. It may carry on for long if one of the piggies refuses to back down. The noise could be due to several reasons such as traffic, loud TV, thunderstorms and the like. Leftover food could develop bacteria which isnt good for your cavys digestive health. What Are the Symptoms? They may bite at another guinea pig if they are hungry or competing over food. 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. Guinea pigs communicate together verbally sometimes. Reasons Why Guinea Pigs Bite #1. A younger guinea pig will usually respond less to an older and bigger guinea pig. [Top 3 Signs], link to Do Guinea Pigs Need Pee Pads? A companion will make them feel safer and more at home in their cage. It is never guaranteed that any two guinea pigs will get along. Mistakenly food #3. Make sure that your guinea pig doesn't appear to be in pain if it's trying to bite. Anyone can become cranky and display aggression when theyre bored, including guinea pigs. What does Hamster Poop Look Like In-detail Guidance, What Fruits Can Hamster Eat? However, this behavior may become more dangerous and even mean that the guinea pigs should be temporarily or permanently separated. When most people think of guinea pigs, they think of cute, cuddly little creatures that make great pets. If your guinea pig is sick, it may also be in pain. If they're living in an unhappy situation or a stressful environment, they may feel anxious or overwhelmed. Keeping up with their necessities will also reduce the competition over food, water, or hay. Do Guinea Pigs Bite Draw Blood?3. Today we are going to look at what might cause a pet . Understand a guinea pig's reasons for biting. Knowing the norms and abnormalities of guinea pig behavior can be essential to determine if and when to intervene. If you suspect your guinea pig is sick or in pain, don't handle it more than necessary and bring them into the vet. Chew marks on the cage can also be a sign of anxiety or stress. If you have more than one guinea pig, its important to make sure they have enough space. These behaviors range from: In this video, for example, the owner has a small cage and two guinea pigs: The majority of these causes can be prevented simply if there is enough space guaranteed for each guinea pig to have their me time and individual access to basic necessities. When our Sanctuary heard that the @LAGuineaPigResc took in 250 guinea pigs from a hoarding case, they didn't hesitate to lend a hand!Most of the guinea pigs had severe bite wounds & were quite territorial, Because of this, they needed to be split up into smaller groups. I'm also a guinea pig owner myself, and I love learning and writing about these adorable creatures. However, these social bonds are relatively weak, and mothers typically have little interaction with their babies once they are born. To make dominance over fellow guinea pigs, one of the methods they use is nose nudging. Socializing guinea pigs is important as they are animals that tend to live in pairs or groups. By taking these precautions and following the tips outlined above, you should be able to help your guinea pigs live happily. 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. However, if two guinea pigs don't get along well with each other, it can result in them biting and attacking one another. Care. Injuries sustained during the fight could also eventually lead to death if not treated soon. This will help create a space to safely separate them and keep your skin covered. It probably didn't mean to bite you and realized your fingers wasn't food as soon as it made contact with them. They may not want to be bothered and if you are trying to handle them or force them to eat, biting may be their way of trying to tell you that they want to be left alone. Also, it should be large enough for the pigs to retreat to if they get frightened during introductions. It is their way of exclaiming that you need to let them go. They usually merely give each other warning nips. Why Do Guinea Pigs Bite Each Other's Bums? Why is my guinea pig biting the other guinea pigs bum? You can check out my ultimate. In today's article, you will read into detail about the reasons why guinea pigs bite their feet, as well as similar questions related to the topic. Guinea pigs may bite at each others bums for many reasons, but it does not mean it is a bad thing. But with time, they get so along with each other and soon they start enjoying the company of other fellows guinea pigs. An easy fix: throw in some more food whether it be pellets, vegetables, or more hay. Guinea pigs can cause serious injury with their nails or teeth. How to Tell the Age of a Cockatiel (Age Chart Included! Reasons Why Guinea Pigs Bite Each Other: Solutions, Do Komodo Dragons Have Teeth? If your guinea pig bites, make sure it is not in pain. The 3 Best Sugar Glider Cage Sets [Guide & Reviews], Rabbits Fruit and Vegetables Consumption (Complete Guide), French Lop Rabbits: Look, Behavior, Care & More (With Pics), How Do I Know My Guinea Pigs Are Fighting, How To Break Up Fights Between Guinea Pigs, How To Stop Your Guinea Pigs From Fighting, How long does guinea pig dominance behavior last, How to Make Guinea Pig Shampoo [2 EASY Ways], 108 Adorable Names for Black and Long-Haired Guinea Pigs, lack of enough space to play and move around. If your guinea pigs are biting each other, the first thing you need to do is figure out the cause of the fighting. Of course, sometimes guinea pigs just dont get along. | Listen What Experts Say, Why My Female Guinea Pig Mounting Another Female? You can create the hideouts with cardboard or boxes available at home or purchase some from the store. To break up a guinea pig fight, clap your hands loudly or make loud noises to startle them. Rumblestrutting is also normal behaviour. If theres hair in one of their mouths, the next movement will be a bite. Well, youre in the right place, because I have to! Guinea pigs like to chase each other and play hide and seek as a form of entertainment. or wherever. Second, provide plenty of enrichment activities for each guinea pig in its own space, so they are both getting attention and stimulation. Typically, biting or sniffing each others bums is entirely normal. This is normal for hungry animals, but it may be prevented. But if youre introducing one to an existing herd, take some time to introduce them. Hello, my name is Bryan. Moody How To Stop You Guinea Pig From Biting You? Menu Once you have their attention, grab one piggy at a time and place them in separate rooms. Bum sniffing is a very common behavior among guinea pigs. To eat the poopor not eat the poophmmm Yes! Just remember to wear thick gloves or have some form of protection for your hands. Take your cavy to the vet ASAP when you notice any injuries. If you notice your guinea pigs biting each other, there are a few things you can do to help resolve the situation. In some cases, guinea pigs may just not be compatible with each other and can start to fight or bite. This ultimately allows for survival because complementing scents spell safety in numbers. Pigs should be placed on towels that dont smell like other pigs. Guinea pigs are very cuddly, and for the most part, theyre known to exist with each other, regardless of gender (even when in the wild, they live in herds). The greatest emotion in the world is the emotion of love and every creature on this planet has a different way of expressing love. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. If your guinea pig smells food on you or you are holding a chew toy, it may bite your fingers accidentally. Do Guinea Pigs Bite: Stress It is best to separate them safely. When they cant smell each other, see each other, or hear each other, it will be easier to calm them down. Adult guinea pigs tend to assert dominance and younger ones tend to be more submissive. 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. If two cavies live in the same enclosure, they may be fighting to claim the territory and resources available. Guinea pigs, of course, can bite. You can do this by introducing fun toys like tunnels, balls, ladders or hideaways into their cages. Another reason includes they got along so well with each other and they want to enjoy the company and want to eat the same food. Ensure your guinea pig's enclosure is not too small. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); As the owner and author of rodentsfact.com, my name is Lisa G and I have over 3 years of experience researching and writing about various species of rodents, including squirrels, groundhogs, hamsters, chipmunks, guinea pigs, and more. Staying dominant over others has always been the favorite virtue of human beings. Just be patient. Guinea pigs do follow the same pattern and they want to stay dominant over other guinea pigs. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The reason for getting so close to each other is they smell the food and their tastes. Guinea pigs are personable, don't take up a huge amount of space, and are usually very gentle. Their teeth, used for grinding up tough foods like hay, grass, and fibrous veggies, can, by all means, leave a mark on your finger. Biting an opponents bum would be a particularly effective way to injure them and potentially gain an advantage in a fight. Too Noisy. If another guinea pig is bullying it, you may need to permanently separate them. Additionally, if a guinea pig isn't a big fan of being held, he or she might resort to peeing to get released. This is normal behaviour for piggies.Walking nose to bum is common. The time to worry with boars is if there is serious fighting and blood is drawn, otherwise they are just doing what piggies do.9 thg 1, 2019 This way, they can see each other and smell each other, but they cant reach the other side of the barrier. In contrast, unfamiliar scents represent a threat to that safety. Whether you're a curious reader or a dedicated rodent enthusiast, I guarantee my blog will be a valuable and reliable source of information for you. Your guinea pig might be biting you due to the smell of food in your hands. Understanding the reasons behind this behavior can be helpful in preventing or resolving conflicts between your furry friends. Yes they can. The reasons behind the aggressive behavior of the guinea pigs are summarised below: Territorial behavior Trying to prove dominance Change in hormones Lack of play and exercise Boredom, stress, and depression Suffering from diseases Dealing with territorial behavior Guinea pigs sniff each other's bottoms for several reasons. Get a larger cage whenever you have more than one guinea pig. This could turn into behavioural issues such as biting. Lets explore the reasons behind it so that you can prevent it from getting out of hand! There may be some need to nudge pigs toward one another, but otherwise, let introductions proceed as if they were occurring in the wild. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. We are a group of animal lovers. If your guinea pigs are fighting, the best thing you can do is to neuter or spay them. Guinea pigs are extremely curious and usually enjoy residing in pairs or groups. In most cases, the guinea pigs are fighting over food or personal space. Do not rush introductions. Principal's Message; About BAMS Course; Future After BAMS Course How Long Do Pet and Wild Chinchillas Live? When guinea pigs are playing, they will chase each other around the cage, play with toys, whistle, purr, and even eat together. 0. When the cage is too small for your cavies, they may fight for the small available space. In most cases, this is normal, but it may also escalate to a serious fight. Feeling Stressed Various things may stress out a guinea pig. Feeling Hungry Guinea pigs have preferred meals. It may be safest to separate them permanently. In addition to being less gregarious, female guinea pigs have been demonstrated to be less patient with other guinea pigs and handled while they are in heat. You need to do your due diligence when pairing them together. Since guinea pigs teeth and nails are sharp, they can cause injury to you while breaking them up. However, seeing the other guinea pig may trigger them to begin fighting again.