My guinea pig suddenly bites when I touch his back. Is he in pain?

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm very sorry to hear that Marshall is unwell. If he is lethargic, not eating well, cried when you pet him, or is teeth chattering, I would be worried he is in pain. Possible sources of pain include intestinal bloat, dental pain, scurvy, or infection. I would highly recommend getting him seem by a vet within the next 24 hours, preferably one that has experience dealing with guinea pigs. They can help to determine the source of Marshall's pain, and offer supportive medication such as fluid therapy and pain medications, and antibiotics if necessary. In the meantime, try to minimize stress by not handling him too much, and provide easy access to his food and water. If he is not eating well, try offering more of the fresh veggies that he typically enjoys. Make sure you are feeding both pigs plenty of vitamin C which will help prevent scurvy. Oranges, green peppers and pellets fortified with vitamin C are all good choices. I hope this helps, and that Marshall is feeling better soon!

Thanks for reaching out about Gem and including a photo. She might be biting due to discomfort or pain. The eye being closed is commonly caused by an ocular trauma or infection. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see the area of hair loss around the neck/shoulder region on Winston. This can be caused by fungal infections, skin mites, or certain hormonal abnormalities. Fungal infections such as ringworm can be transmitted to people, so I do recommend washing your hands well with soap and water after handling Winston and/or his bedding. You should have Winston seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is going on, your vet may take some hair/skin samples to rule out fungal/mite infections and begin the appropriate treatment. You should also separate him from his cagemate to prevent transmission of the infection. I hope this helps!

This sounds normal. He is just not used to being picked up/held. You have to train him to accept this handling. Currently he is training you that when he bites you put him down and he gets his way. Here is a link to an article that may help you. Hope this helps. Best wishes. ( http://www.cavyspirit.com/biting.htm )

You may be handling Piglet too much, and she is becoming annoyed with you. I would not be worried, but try to be very gentle and if she seems to be getting irritate them put her down before she bites you. See if you can try to avoid some of that behavior before it becomes a pattern.

Hi there! I am so sorry to hear about Charles' accident. I would definitely have Charles checked out by his veterinarian. There is definitely a chance that he could have some internal injuries. He may need an exam to check his lungs, and even an Xray, just to make sure there isn't anything else abnormal going on. As you mentioned too, I'm sure Charles is a little bit shaken up from his accident. These small guinea pigs are prey animals and are normally a little bit stressed out anyway. Having an accident may have made him a little bit nervous, but his comfort level with you will return in a little bit of time. I would definitely take him in for an exam though, just to make sure everything is OK. I hope this answer was helpful. Best of luck!

I am sorry to hear about Chewy! A photo of the bump may help us in providing you with a better answer. I would be concerned if this is a large bump about a possible abscess (pocket of infection), cyst, or tumor. I would recommend having her seen by a vet since she obviously seems to be bothered by it. The vet may aspirate the bump by putting a small needle into it to help identify what the bump is and how best to treat it.