There are many reasons why guinea pigs bite their cage. While it can be annoying, we must keep in mind that cage grinding is normal behavior. Regardless, it is still necessary to evaluate the situation if it becomes excessive. Guinea pigs bite for several reasons, and it is vital to understand the possible causes in order to stop your guinea pig from biting the cage,
How to stop guinea pigs from biting cage?
The best way to stop guinea pigs from biting the cage is to give them more toys, take them out of the cage more, get them a bigger cage, or change their diet.
In order to get your guinea pig to stop biting the cage, you will need to identify the source of the behavior.
Why is my guinea pig biting the cage?
Boredom, not enough floor time, small cages, lack of food, and stress are likely reasons why guinea pigs start biting their cage.
Boredom
Guinea pigs love staying active. They are energetic animals and enjoy having plenty of mental stimulation. However, if they are used to a particular routine, they will get bored. Therefore, switching things up for your pet is recommended once patterns become too repetitive for the animal. Boredom leads to excessive biting of their cages because they let us know that they have nothing else to do.
We can ask ourselves what we can do to avoid boredom for our guinea pigs?
- Update their play-pen. Add fun obstacle courses for them to run, climb or hide. This will allow them to have new activities to do keeps them distracted and satisfied in their homes.
- Buy them chew toys, which can also be toilet paper rolls or hay. Giving them another object to bite reduces their urge to munch on their cages. It also allows them to exercise their mouths.
- Take them out! Let them enjoy the outside environment of their homes by letting them explore your living room floor with careful observation.
- Liven up their day-to-day activities. Creating new weekly schedules with more interactive and stimulating workouts keeps them happy and satisfied.
Floor-time
Guinea pigs need outside time. It is not healthy to keep them cooped all day long, which leads to boredom and biting. Instead, we need to exercise and workout with guinea pigs. This increases their physical stimulus and keeps them energized. Being social and enthusiastic means guinea pigs love to run around and play. Therefore, we should allow them to roam outside of their cages at least three times a week for an hour. Giving them floor-time lessens their stress and nerves from being kept inside, and it also allows you to provide them with more time and attention-which they love!
How do we secure they receive enough floor-time and ensure less biting?
- Invest in play-pen tents. They cover a good amount of surfaces for guinea pigs to run around. They keep them protected from running off to restricted areas where they could get hurt. They can leave them alone for a few hours if you have something to do.
- Let them have a play-room. You may also opt to keep guinea pigs in a room with toys for them to play with if you don’t have a play-pen tent nearby. However, be sure to an eye on them when left alone.
Small cages
Living space is an essential factor to consider for your guinea pigs. It is preferably better for guinea pigs to have a considerable amount of space for their cages. Spacious areas allow more room for physical activity, playtime and food—the best cage size for guinea pigs is usually around eight sq. feet. Conversely, lesser space leads to stress which induces excessive biting habits for the animal.
A small cage can make your guinea pig anxious, and might even cause them to puff up.
Lack of food
If our guinea pigs are hungry or haven’t eaten enough, gnawing or munching on their cages can let us know what they want. Guinea pigs eat fast, and sometimes we may not even realize that they haven’t had food in a while because of their quick nibbling. So pay close attention from time to time to see whether hunger is a factor in their constant biting.
Check out this guinea pig feeding guide to learn more.
Cage roommates
If, by chance, your guinea pig does not live alone, make sure that both animals get along well. Sometimes, unfriendly roommates cause your guinea pigs to feel incredibly stressed and paranoid. This can lead to to biting and gnawing because they want to be let free. To avoid this, you may buy a giant cage so both animals have more space. You can also try to divide a guinea pig cage.
If all else fails, you can try to discipline your guinea pig.
Conclusion
With all the information provided, it is essential to monitor the actions of your guinea pigs to pinpoint the exact cause of their constant biting habits! Remember that behavior is key to knowing the root of the problem! Guinea pigs quickly get excited upon seeing their owners because they are social animals. They constantly love receiving attention, so they might bite their cage if they feel like you don’t give them enough attention.