Why Do Guinea Pigs Bite Their Cage? Is It Normal?

If you have interacted with a guinea pig, you might have noticed their tendency to bite. Such behaviors are sometimes seen while in the cage as they bite the bars. When such behavior persists, most pet owners wonder why guinea pigs bite their cages and if it’s normal.

So, why do guinea pigs bite their cage? Guinea pigs may bite their cage and bars if the room is small and limited. Similarly, through their natural instincts, your cavy bites their cage to help wear their ever-growing sharp teeth that need to be trimmed naturally.

For a better understanding, this article gives more reasons why guinea pigs bite their cage and ways to stop them if it’s too much.

Why Do Guinea Pigs Bite Their Cage?

Guinea pigs bite their cages for various reasons. It is important to note that guinea pigs do not bite humans. However, they like biting their pens and bars to communicate a message.

Usually, guinea pigs will bite the cage for a few minutes after feeding before burrowing into the floor. However, sometimes your cavy can bite its pen for a long period, especially when you are around. Below are some reasons why your cavy bites their cages at an abnormal rate.

Overcrowding or lack of enough space

This happens when your cavy is trying to communicate to you that it needs more space in the cage. Maybe you have placed a lot of cavy toys that take up too much space. If the cell is small, consider replacing it with a spacious cage.

At times, pet owners with several guinea pigs in one cage may have their cavy biting the bars, indicating that they are overcrowded. To curb such, put each cavy in its cage.

Looking for attention

Your cavy will keep biting their cage to seek your attention. This is evident as it stops biting the cage upon seeing you. If you happen to leave it alone, it starts biting it again.

Spend time with your pet to stop the behavior. Ensure consistency and persistence in your time with your cavy without missing. Once guinea pigs get attention, they will hardly bite their cages.

Improper/change in diet

A change in diet to a less favorite one will have your cavy biting the cage as a sign of protest. This is dangerous as they can easily injure their teeth and lips.

Always serve its favorite food in an orderly sequential routine without random shifts. If you have to change their diet, do it slowly and in stages. Guinea pigs don’t like sudden changes, especially in their diet.

Insufficient floor time

Guinea pigs like to burrow into the floor and available blankets. Your cavy is possibly furious and biting the cage due to a lack of time and space to burrow.

Natural instincts

Naturally, guinea pigs like to bite their cages. Some bite cages help wear out their ever-growing sharp teeth that need to be kept in check.

Young pigs bite their cage with toothless gum to encourage their teeth to grow. Such bites should not take long and are all gentle as it avoids injuring themselves.

How To Stop Guinea Pigs From Biting Their Cage

Unless the reason for biting their cage is natural, you must stop your cavy from biting the bars. Stopping them needs to include luring them with distracting activities they like.

Below is a quick summary of things you can do to stop them from biting their cages.

Spend quality time with your cavy daily. This will reduce the urge to seek attention.
Provide play toys to reduce loneliness in the cage. Ensure the toys are of a size that they can bite without tearing or swallowing. Ensure the toys are clean.
Provide spacious cages for the big guinea pigs. For the overcrowded pigs, separate them into single-holding cells.
Allow extra floor time with sufficient cushioning materials.
Provide enough food, such as vegetables, timothy hay, and fruits. Ensure the food is fresh and free from chemicals.
Introduce a mate or cavy partner to keep the pig occupied. Make sure you introduce compatible partners that won’t fight.
Finally, you can apply vinegar to the cages and bars to keep the pigs off. This is due to the irritating smell and taste of vinegar.

Try to combine all these remedies for a better outcome. However, use vinegar as the last option as it has some mild adverse effects on your cavy.

Why Does My Guinea Pig Bite His Cage At Night?

Guinea pigs bite cages at night for a few reasons. One of the reasons is if your cavy is bored at night and having difficulty falling asleep. They tend to bite the bars in search of something to keep them busy before falling asleep.

If guinea pigs sense danger or any threat around the cage, they snore as they bite the pen furiously. As a keen pet keeper, you should be able to sense danger if the biting is loud and causes commotion.

If the night bites occur at the same time every night, they might be due to their instinct. However, guinea pigs should be asleep at night; hence night bites should raise the alarm for inspection.

Is It Normal For My Guinea Pig To Bite Cage Bars?

As a pet keeper, you should not get worried if you find your pet biting its cage. Their natural instincts place them in that position. It is okay for your cavy to bite objects, especially when in an upright manner.

However, there is a need to control the behavior as it may injure their mouth. Distract your cavy with chewing toys that are safe for them. Provide healthy food such as carrot tops and hay that will have similar effects as the cage bars.

Avoid plastic toys as your cavy can tear through with their sharp teeth. If your cavy bites the cage bars for long without feeding, inspect it and, if possible, seek medical help from a veterinarian.

Why Does My Guinea Pig Constantly Bite The Cage?

The simple reason behind constantly biting the cage is because your cavy tries to communicate a message to you, and you seem unaware. Guinea pigs will constantly bite the cage bars till you respond to their problems.

If restless sounds follow the biting, inspect the cage and the pig for any problem. Your cavy might be sick and needs medical attention. Call in a veterinarian.

Another reason is hunger; you must provide their favorite food quickly. Constant biting may be due to dirt accumulation in the cage. Guinea pigs don’t like dirt, clean the cage regularly to keep it clean.

FAQs

Below are the most asked questions by guinea pig owners as they try to understand why guinea pigs chew their cage.

Should I disinfect the cage bars?

You should disinfect the cage and the bars if your cavy is fond of biting them. Use safe disinfectants that will be harmless to the pig.
While disinfecting the cage, apply some mild vinegar to scare away guinea pigs. Ensure you provide chewing toys to keep them distracted from the bars.

Is it wrong for my guinea pigs to bite and chew their cage?

Yes. It is not advisable for your cavy to chew their cage, especially when they do it for long. They can easily injure themselves or even get infected by the corrosive metals or painted bars.
Provide alternatives such as chewing toys, vegetables, hay, and fruits that are safe for your cavy.

Conclusion

Guinea pigs will bite their cage when bored, seeking attention, or communicating any other need. Some will bite cages and bars out of their natural instincts and should be provided with chew toys for that purpose. Check for possible distress or ailments if your cavy constantly bites the cage. Be careful while handling your cavy at that moment as it can bite you if angered or hungry.

Image Credits:

canva.com/photos/

References:

animallama.com/guinea-pigs/guinea-pig-feeding-schedule/

Why Do Guinea Pigs Bite Their Cage? Is It Normal?