Do most guinea pigs bite?

Question

I'm thinking about getting a guinea pig, and I know that "anything with teeth can bite," so don't bother telling me that. I was just wondering if anyone out there who HAS a guinea pig or has been around one a fair amount through either a friend or a relative who has one or pet shop employment/management/ownership could give me the details about their biting habits. I would like to know: 1)Do most guinea pigs bite 2)When you are selecting a guinea pig at the pet store, are you usually able to tell whether a guinea pig is a biter or not 3)Does getting a guinea pig at a young age reduce the risk of it being a biter (if so, what is a good age?) 4)How to quickly resolve the problem of a biting guinea pig 5)Any other piggie info you want to throw my way! Thank you and good luck to all! P.S. Feel free to include any personal experiences with your guinea pigs!!!

Answer 1

I have had 2 guinea pigs in my lifetime, and have many friends who have owned guinea pigs at some point.

My guinea pigs have never bitten me. Most guinea pigs will not bite if they are handled enough, and get used to being around humans. Many guinea pigs that bite aren't held often. If you get a guinea pig at a younger age, it can become used to being around humans while it's still young. I can't really say what age, because it depends on the guinea pig (my guinea pig Max is 5; I adopted him when he was 4, so I don't know how much he was held when he was younger. He has never bitten me.) But if you get an older guinea pig, it can be a little harder to teach them not to bite, but it can still be done.

You can sometimes tell if a guinea pig is a biter when you see it in a pet store or shelter. Extra stress in a pet store or shelter can make the guinea pig scared, and might cause a pigger that doesn't normally bite to bite. If you are holding the animal and are acting calm, you can tell better if it's a "biter", but you can't always tell.

Not most guinea pigs bite, but it does depend on the guinea pig, and how well it is taken care of. There isn't a way to suddenly "cure" biting. It is a process of handeling the animal and getting to know them. If they trust you, they won't bite.

Remember, guinea pigs need vitamin c to survive (just like us people do)! Good luck! :)

Answer 2

Guinea pigs are rarely aggressive. That's not something you really need to worry about unless they've been raised or handled improperly. Guinea pigs may nip at you, either by accident or to communicate with you. But that's not the same thing as biting.

Answer 3

I have had 6 guinea pigs over the years 2 apopted as adults the other 4 i got as babies and non of them have ever bitten, all of them were very friendly and loved cuddles and being handled.

Answer 4

Any guinea pig might bite when scared or hungry, but they don't usually bite. So if you are gentle with them and they are not hungry, or hurt, they aren't likely to bite. They are probably more likely to claw you than bite. And the clawing can be totally accidental.

This site should help you.

Answer 5

I had a guinieypig before my alergies started bothering me and they bit me.My best friend had guinieypigs and hers bit also.I learned they just do that when there babys so if you candle that for 1 year get them.

Answer 6

If it Eats.. Opens its mouth.. has Teeth no matter what size.
It bites.

Although just like other animals / Pets
they can be trained not to bite you.

Answer 7

Thank they are good . i had a few . i got because accident i scared it. i like them