One important thing to know as a guinea pig owner is the behavior of your little pig. This can help tell you when you’re not feeling well, when you’re angry, happy, or even lonely.
Little pigs are attention seekers by nature. They can get very lonely very quickly, so they will make noise and jump up, sometimes just to get your attention.
Assault
When a guinea is angry, you will often hear her teeth chatter. It’s weird, but if they’re directing it at you, they want you to stay away, so respect their space. Little pigs rarely teeth chatter at 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 at the other, this can lead to a fight. It usually occurs when two boars (guineas male), or two sows (guineas female), meet for the first time. They are simply organizing their hierarchy. The fur around their necks will stand up to make them look bigger. They will sway from side to side and slowly show their teeth. If you see your piggies doing this to each other, it’s best to separate them before a fight breaks out, just watch your hands. Place a towel over their eyes to confuse them, and pull them apart at that time.
hair salon
Hairdressing is when a guinea bites the skin of another guinea. Some speculate that it’s a sign of dominance, but I think they’re just being nice. Other piggies at the other end of the barbershop may sit quietly while they are being cut, others may flail around and bump each other’s heads, or worse.
for food
Little pigs love to beg for tasty treats. As they gain confidence, they will start to squawk when they suspect their vegetables are on the way, sometimes even standing on their hind legs, just like a puppy! They get very excited and look in your direction with eager eyes, hoping you’ve seen them.
biting
Guinea pigs rarely bite their owners. Most of the time they just nibble or pinch as a form of communication, especially youngsters who are still learning. There are a few reasons why your piggy may bite. Make sure you hold it correctly, if you don’t the guinea pig may worry you’ll drop it and nibble at you as if to say “Hey, watch out!” If you’ve been holding your piggy for a while and he starts chewing on your clothes, this may be a way of communicating that he needs to use the bathroom, so to speak. Try not to hold your piggy for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Remember, they can’t cross their legs and hold you like we do. Most piggies will try to avoid doing it with you, but if you have a particularly snuggly one that doesn’t mind, keep a towel under it when you hold it, to protect your clothes. Not all of them will nibble on your clothes, some may fuss or whimper with you, this means they would like to put them back in their cage.
Some Piggies bite by accident when you are feeding them. They get excited and forget to distinguish between fingers and food. Also be careful after you have been handling food, wash your hands or they may mistake your finger for the treat. Bites can also be caused by a parasite like mites, if you pet a little pig with mites it can cause great discomfort and they will do anything to stop the pain. They may try to bite the area to get some relief, but if your hand is in the way, they may bite you. For more information on moths, please read my article on health care.
bite the bars of the cage
Some piggies are prone to chewing on the bars of their cage. Some only do this when they want food, or when they hear something that makes them think food is on the way. They will start to complain, but if the chef takes too long, they 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 little pig for a while and are confident in taking 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 much 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 from time to time. The little pigs need their freedom.
eating poop
If you notice your piggy ducking his head and see that he is chewing on something, he is actually eating his own poop. It may sound gross to us, but it is very natural behavior for guineas. Rabbits will also eat their own poop. They are not the usual poop you see in the cage, this one is softer and smaller. Piggies do this to re-ingest the ‘soft poo’ because their digestive systems do not extract all the vitamins from the food right away.
Depressed
If you notice that your pig is hunched in a corner, looking sad or depressed, this may indicate illness. Try offering him his favorite food, if he doesn’t show any interest take him to the vet immediately. It’s very important to do this because a pig’s health can drop quickly, it’s important to spot things at the first sign.
Freezing
Little pigs will often stay still for a short period of time if they are afraid or if they have heard a sudden loud sound that they are unfamiliar with. It’s their way of making themselves invisible and letting the others in the group know about it. Freezing is often accompanied by a small vibrating sound, this indicates 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 like guinea pig kisses. Not all piggies do it, about 3 out of 6 piggies love to kiss. Some think it’s because our skin is salty and they like the taste, I’m not entirely convincing and I think it’s more of an affectionate behavior.
the mating dance
Men and women participate in this dance. They will rock their hips back and forth and make a vibrating sound, known as motor surfing. Don’t be alarmed if your female pig starts the mating dance with another female, she’s probably just feeling hormonal.
Mounting
This is usually seen as sexual behavior, however it can also be a sign of dominance towards another guinea. A dom male can do this to a submissive male, usually when they first meet they are just deciding who is boss or king of the cage. A female may also mount another female if she is in heat or if a neutered male pays no attention to her. It’s all very normal, so don’t worry if you see piggies of the same sex riding each other. However, if the males do it to each other, watch out for signs of aggression, you don’t want a fight to break out again. Before the montage begins, there may be quite a bit of chasing involved. The little pig that is being chased can sometimes complain and/or get angry. As long as you don’t see any aggressive behavior, the shock sounds much worse than it really is. Having said that, constantly being 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 while.
