Guinea Pig Behaviors - Explanations of Some of the Odd Things Your Pet Guinea Pig Does

Many pet owners find guinea pigs to be charming house hold pets, no matter how old the person is. As charming as the little fur-ball may be though, there are a few behaviors that every owner should be aware of, both aggressive and passive, positive and negative. Keep in mind that every animal is different, so these behaviors should be examined on a personal basis and that some have blurry boundaries between being hostile and just plain frisky.

Among most negative actions is the showing of aggression. This is usually shown when the guinea pigs chatter their teeth together, flare the fur around there neck, or show there teeth. Oftentimes, this results from two newly introduced piggies of the same gender, as they try and sort out there position in the hierarchy.

While aggression leads to biting, biting is not always a bad sign. Sometimes it's their way of letting you know something, whether it's that they are hungry or that they need to "take a break." Communication is the main reason for biting, which is most often just a nip or a nibble. Guinea pigs can also get confused though, and mistake your fingers for a tasty carrot or other veggie if you don't wash right after feeding them!

Some guinea pigs are prone to biting the bars of their cage. Most will only do this when they think its snack time or they hear something that makes them think snacks are on the way. They first start weeping, but if the savory yummies are taking too long, they will bite the bars to make sure they are heard. A few guinea pigs may bite the bars because they are bored and they are wanting some attention. If they persist on doing it, try placing a new toy in their cage. If your guinea pig is living on their own they will naturally become bored and lonely, even if you spend a lot of time with them. They really do need a cage mate, so consider keeping two guinea pigs. If your guinea pig is living in a small cage and isn't getting any much needed free range time, they will become stressed and bite the bars out of sheer frustration. A larger cage or an increase in their free range time is a great remedy to this.

One more somewhat aggressive behavior is nose-nudging. Often you will see nose-nudging when guinea pigs are sharing a meal. A more dominant guinea pig will nudge another piggy out of the way, so they can have the piggy's share. Sometimes a submissive guinea pig will also do it if they are feeling bold and really want that last piece of parsley or carrot. If you see one of your pets hogging the food bowl too much, place two bowls in the cage; a more dominant furball can't be in two places at once, so this will allow the more submissive guinea to eat. Nose nudging can also be directed at us humans. When a guinea pig wants you to stop stroking them on their head, they will suddenly lift their head up, in the hope that they can remove your hand. Try stroking them further away, a gentle neck rub is often appreciated or under the chin.

So this explains a little about what your guinea pig is thinking when he or she does some of those odd, but cute little behaviors. For more fantastic guinea pig information, visit the site below.