Wild Thang

Question
I want to take my guinea pig to a new home which requires some traveling. I was training him today I usually put him a soft pillow case and let him sit in my lap. He usually lets me pet him and stays still for ten minutes before acting up. But today he just wanted to escape. I never seen him at so wild. I am wondering if he needs to be neutered. He just turned one year old but he is becoming very aggressive. He will try to grab all the food out my hand by pulling it with his teeth. I put him in a bin and he tried to just jump out. What can I do to train him? Should I neuter him and would it make a difference in his behavior? I did not buy him when he was a baby so that might be an issue as well. I only have one guinea pig as well.

Answer

Adams dip   I doubt that neutering him will change his personality to any noticeable degree. It sounds like what he needs is just more lap time.

Another thing you might consider is treating him for mites. They can make a pig irritable and unwilling to sit still because of the constant irritation under the skin. They're easy to treat and don't require a trip to a vet. You can use some Adams dip on him, just be careful not to let it get into his eyes. Just follow the directions on the bottle, make sure he is saturated by the water dip, then let him drip dry. That will take care of any critters he might have 'made friends' with.

Cavy mites and/or lice are not going to go anywhere but on another pig, so don't worry that you might get something from him. You will not.

If he's not used to being in a bin it's only natural that he will try to get out. Any pig will do that. Don't get discouraged, it just takes a little time. The more he's handled the better he will be. You might also have better luck just wrapping him in a towel with just his head sticking out. The bundling calms them down and will allow you to stroke his head and hold him. He will soon learn that he's safe and doesn't need to be frightened.

Another thing to think of is that every pig has that few moments in the day when they get the crazies and will run around their cage as if something is chasing them. It's just a way to burn up energy and most pigs do it early in the evening.  

Whether you've had him as a baby isn't really the problem. Every pig has a different personality, but sooner or later they learn to quiet down when held. Try not giving him any treats like a carrot or lettuce until you have him in your lap. That way you represent "the food lady" and he will look forward to your company.

Patience is the key. As for traveling they are good travelers and don't require anything special as long as they have fresh food and water. While in the car I would not hang a water bottle as they tend to leak because of the motion. Lettuce is an excellent water replacement and doesn't make the cage wet. At night you can hang a bottle for him and he'll be just fine.