All the books say it's boredom or lack of food, but she does it also when she has just had a lot of exercise and play, and when she has plenty of hay in her cage (she loves hay). She has other toys and a chewing block, but she ignores those. The cage is large enough and she gets plenty of attention.
2007-02-08 23:40:01 · 25 answers · asked by maswala 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Hi,
I am no Vet, but having cared for pet guinea pigs in the past, it transpired that this cage biting was down to a natural desire to keep the teeth trimmed back, as even with rough materials to nibble at, they will, in the wild, knaw on rocks & pebbles etc. to prevent overly long teeth.
I doubt that it a desire to escape, if they have "outings" and space to run around in.
Perhaps try a bit of pumice stone in her cage.
Mine nibbled one to shreds within a week, and did not need Vet treatment.
Worth a try, and all the best with the charming critters !
Bob.
2007-02-09 00:11:29 · answer #1 · answered by Bob the Boat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I had a guinea pig, and a hamster (they both died of old age) and now I have a rabbit. ALL of them had chewed on their cages. It IS annoying, but there is usually nothing that you can do about it. I found that my rabbits chew on their cages LESS if you give them FLAVOURED wood chews. (Can be found at almost any petshop) I also found that treats that are made from seeds will also help a little. Oh, and also, you could try lemon juice. If you put some lemon juice onto a paintbrush and coat the cage in it, sometimes they will get discouraged. My friend tried this once, and said that it worked, but not a lot. Hope this helps!
2016-05-24 00:37:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
THe problem is she's not getting enough time and play OUT of the cage. She's signalling to you that she wants YOUR attention. Most likely anyways. Another thing that it could be, is that there's something in the cage thats bothering her, such as maybe hidden rotten treat, or a pee spot that needs to be changed. There is a difference between attention in the cage, and attention out of the cage. In experience with my 2, the outside of the cage play time means so much more to them, than just regular in cage lpaytime. No matter the size of the cage. The cage is their home, their place of comfort. But outside the cage is a world of anew, everytime. So its very important to give them lots of time outside the cage. (plus it'll tire them out so they won't have the energy to chew the cage!) I give my guinea's 4 hours total in a day outside of the cage, sometimes a little more, and that depends on my cats moods LOL. They love the guinea's, but there's those days where the cat energy in the house runs high, and thats never a good day for guinea play!
Good luck, guineas can be toughies to figure out!
2007-02-09 03:02:44 · answer #3 · answered by dreamkillerkitten 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My guinea pig did the same exact thing. He didn't really play with toys, but he did like to chew on his metal cage. I guess it must feel good to their teeth. There is this stick I bought at Walmart (or any pet store for that matter) that is made for guinea pigs. It looks like a bunch of different seeds and nuts all together in this long, think stick. I put one of these in his cage and he loved it! Look for one to buy yours when you go to the store. It's just a few bucks, but don't worry, that is normal.
2007-02-08 23:49:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Check her teeth, like all rodents Guinea Pigs teeth keep growing, so it could be that they are getting unruily, otherwise check for something stuck to the teeth, she may have something stuck on her tooth and be struggling to get it off, I had a Pig before that had a piece of fluff wrapped round her tooth, (no idea how it got there) she went insane trying to get it off, when I checked the teeth I found it and she was fine after that.
2007-02-08 23:52:54 · answer #5 · answered by ebungle 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well, your guinea pig is probably craving freedom. in my opinon, all guinea pigs of the world should be able to scamper free, with no cares in the world. your guinea pig is probably feeling constricted, and wants to see the world. take her to the mediterranean for a quick break, or buy a leash and take her on a walk every day. don't keep her in the cage forever, she needs to explore the world. remember, if she keeps chewing, her teeth are going to hurt, so she might not eat at all. a walk a day keeps chewing at bay.
2007-02-09 02:04:49 · answer #6 · answered by Jimbo 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Believe me, life in a cage is not fun. Release it and let it enjoy its freedom. nobody is keeping you in a cage, u make choices so why should u do that to it?
Let it run around the house or something. If its home is really as nice as u say, it will come back to rest regulary.
2007-02-08 23:48:12 · answer #7 · answered by beautilicious88 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm no vet but any animal caged is undergoing some sort
of trauma even if you provide it with everything it needs.
Let it out more as much as poss, let it scamper about and so it can at least con itself its free again for a while.
That might help.
2007-02-08 23:47:26 · answer #8 · answered by farshadowman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She is bored because guinea pigs are social animals that need to live in herds. Getting her a friend will alleviate a lot of this behavior. No matter how many things she has, she's always going to be bored when she's alone.
2007-02-09 00:20:08 · answer #9 · answered by Lotus Effect 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the guinea needs some thing else to chew on so they bit there cage get the guinea a peace of wood.
2007-02-09 00:34:27 · answer #10 · answered by tommy two tone 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋