One important thing to know as a guinea pig owner is the behavior of your little pig. This can help you know when you are not feeling well, when you are angry, happy, or even lonely.
Little pigs are naturally seeking attention. They can get very lonely very quickly, so they will make noise and jump, sometimes just to get your attention.
Aggression
When a guinea is angry, you will often hear her teeth chattering. It’s weird, but if they are directing it towards you, they want you to stay away, so respect their space. Little pigs rarely chatter their teeth to humans and almost never bite, be aware that if they are very angry or upset they may bite. Pay attention if you have two little pigs in a cage, one may be chattering its teeth with the other, this can cause a fight. It usually occurs when two boars (male guinea pigs) or two sows (female guinea pigs) meet for the first time. They are just ordering their hierarchy. The fur around their necks will be pulled up to make them appear larger. They will sway from side to side and slowly show teeth. If you see your little pigs doing this to each other, it’s best to separate them before a fight breaks out, just look at your hands. Put a towel over your eyes to confuse them and separate them at that time.
Hairdressing
Hairdressing is when a guinea chews the fur of another guinea. Some speculate it’s a sign of dominance, but I think they’re just being nice. Other little pigs at the other end of the salon may sit quietly while they trim, others may flail and head butt the other, or worse.
For food
Little pigs love to beg for treats. As they grow in confidence they will start panting when they suspect their veggies are on the way, sometimes they will even stand on their hind legs – like a puppy! They get very excited and look your way with anxious eyes, hoping you have seen them.
Biting
Guinea pigs rarely bite their owners. Most of the time they only bite or bite as a form of communication, especially young people who are still learning. There are a few reasons why your pig may bite. Make sure you hold it correctly, if you don’t, the guinea may worry that you are going to drop it and bite you as if to say “Hey, be careful!” If you’ve been holding your little pig for a while and you start nibbling on his clothes, this may be a way of communicating that you need to use the bathroom, so to speak. Try not to hold your piglet for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Remember, they can’t cross their legs and hold you like us. Most piglets will try to avoid getting it on, but if you have a particularly comfortable one that doesn’t care, keep a towel under them when you hold them to protect your clothes. Not everyone will nibble on your clothes, some may fidget or moan, this means they would like to be put back in their cage.
Some little pigs bite by accident, when you are feeding them. They get excited and forget to distinguish between fingers and food. Also be careful after handling food, wash your hands or they may mistake your finger for the treat. Biting can also be caused by a parasite like mites, if you are a pig with mites it can cause great discomfort and they will do anything to stop the pain. They may try to pinch the area to get some relief, but if your hand is in the way, they may bite you. To learn more about mites, read my article on health care.
Bite the bars of the cage
Some piglets are prone to chewing on the bars of their cage. Some only do this when they want food, or hear something that makes them think food is on the way. They will start to whistle, but if the chef lingers too long, he will start biting the bars out of boredom and / or loneliness, even if you spend a lot of time with them. They do need a cage mate after a while, if you’ve had a pig for a while and are sure to take care of it, consider getting another one so they can keep each other company. They will also bite the bars if their cage is small and they don’t have a lot of free time to roam. Lack of exercise can stress them out. Try to provide a larger cage, especially if you plan to get another little pig, and let your guinea run around the house every now and then. The little pigs need their freedom.
Eating poop
If you notice your little pig ducking his head underneath and you see that he is chewing on something, he is actually eating his own poop. It may seem gross to us, but it is a very natural behavior for guineas. Rabbits will eat their own poop too. They are not the usual poop you see in the cage, this one is softer and smaller. Little pigs do this to re-ingest the ‘soft poop’ because their digestive system does not extract all the vitamins from the food right away.
Depressed
If you notice that your piglet is hunched over in a corner, looking sad or depressed, this may indicate an illness. Try to offer him his favorite food, if he shows no interest, take him to the vet right away. It is very important to do so because the health of a little pig can decline rapidly, it is important to detect things at the first sign.
Freezing
Little pigs will often stay still for a short period of time if they are scared or have heard a sudden loud sound that they are not familiar with. It’s their way of making themselves invisible and letting others in the group know about it. Frostbite is usually accompanied by a small vibrating sound, indicating that they are afraid. This behavior can occur when the phone rings or someone knocks on the door.
Beating
Like most pets, some guinea pigs love to lick you when you hold them. Think of them as guinea pig kisses. Not all piglets do it, about 3 out of 6 little pigs love to give kisses. Some think it is because our skin is salty and they like the taste, I am not entirely convincing and I think it is more of an affectionate behavior.
The mating dance
Both men and women participate in this dance. They will rock their hips back and forth and emit a vibrating sound, known as a motorboat. Don’t be alarmed if your little pig starts the mating dance with another female, she’s probably just feeling hormonal.
Mounting
Usually this is seen as sexual behavior, however it can also be a sign of dominance towards another Guinea. A dom man can do this to a submissive man, usually when they first meet they are just sorting out who is the boss or king of the cage. A female can also mount another female if she is in season or if a gelding is not paying attention to her. Everything is very normal, so don’t worry if you see piggies of the same sex riding each other. However, if the males are doing it to each other, watch out for signs of aggression, you don’t want a fight to break out The actual act of riding, only takes a few seconds, but after a break, mounting will start from new. . Before the montage begins, there may be a bit of chasing involved. The little pig that is being chased may sometimes complain and / or get upset. As long as you don’t see any aggressive behavior, the shock sounds much worse than it actually is. With that being said, being constantly chased can be exhausting and stressful, so if you have a spare cage, it might be a good idea to separate your guinea pigs so they can have some peace for a bit.