When I first adopted my guinea pigs, Pebbles, and Niblet, I kept on learning and understanding their behaviors. One evening, while sitting on the chair with Pebbles on my lap, she started licking my hand. Initially, I was a little nervous and slightly astonished by the behavior of my lovely pet for the first time forced me to think, Why Does My Guinea Pig Lick Me?
Although They may not kiss or lick in the traditional sense, they do show affection, and love and bond with each other and their owners through grooming. Guinea pigs by nature are known to groom themselves or other cage mates by licking, and they even lick their cages or toys sometimes, and this is all perfectly normal and habitual. But what about when they start licking you? Is this normal? The answer is yes, this is perfectly normal behavior, and there are several reasons behind it. After all, experience and thinking led me to analyze that guinea pigs are not like dogs or cats, so why was she licking me?
Although Guinea pigs are emotionally and mentally attached to their owners and have a good sense of smell to recognize their owner, guinea pigs even miss their owner once he is not around. Though you may not understand all the actions they sometimes make like signs your guinea pig hates you, chitters, squeaks, purrs, etc. there are things they do that have a fairly clear meaning and that can help you understand your guinea pigs and resolve the question in your mind of how to make your guinea pig love you again and why does my guinea pig lick me and each other?
To understand my furry friend Pebbles’ behavior, I joined guinea pig forums and read articles from reputable sites like Guinea Lynx and The Humane Society. Many guinea pig owners shared similar experiences, which reassured me that this was a sign of affection, trust, and love for their owners and a common behavior found in guinea pigs. Through continuous interaction, I observed that Pebbles licking was more frequent when she was relaxed and content, especially after a good meal or a grooming session.
After a long Guinea pigs journey spent with my guinea pigs, I have decided to share some views and experiences I gained through some reliable resources for your query, Why Does My Guinea Pig Lick Me, My Hand, face, and Their Cage as well as other guinea pigs? You can also read about my guinea pigs to know their behavior and understand any sign that may be the same as your guinea pig.
8 Reasons Why Does My Guinea Pig Lick Me
Understanding your guinea pigs’ body language, behaviors, and actions makes you a perfect and responsible owner to achieve a good experience to solve any query like how do guinea pigs show affection? And why does my guinea pig lick me? So, all these questions can be solved through some reasons and facts which I have covered here:
Affection and Bonding
One of the most positive reasons behind a guinea pig’s licking their owner is affection and bonding with their owners. This affection and bonding with their owners make their guinea pigs groom as a social bonding activity. By licking your hand, face, and fingers, your guinea pig is likely expressing bonding, and affection as well as showing a good sense of smell to recognize their owners as a part of their social group. This is supported by observations in guinea pig forums where owners often describe licking as a sign of trust and bonding.
Guinea pigs also lick each other which is the same method and sign to show affection and bonding to one another. By licking each other, they want attention and love for each other as well as groom themselves to pass the same love and affection to you as a lovely owner.
Taste and Salt
Guinea pigs have a good sense of taste and recognize their owner by licking them and may lick you because they enjoy the salty taste of your skin. Human sweat contains natural salt, which your guinea pigs want to taste and lick. This behavior is similar to how they nibble on objects and fresh fruits and veggies like sugar snap peas, broccoli, asparagus, arugula, dandelions, dill, basil, rosemary, Swiss Chard, pears, honeydew melon, pomegranate, cherries, plums, etc. in their surroundings out of curiosity. My guinea pig, Quill, often licks my hand after I come back home after work, which supports this reasoning.
Jaw Massage or Chin Scratches
I have observed my guinea pigs Nibblet, Bumble, and Quill enjoying their jaw massaged at the base and scratching or rubbing their chin gently on my hands. Guinea pigs love to be petted by jaw massage and chin scratching, for that reason they will sometimes lick or rub your hands.
Seeking Attention
Guinea pigs are intelligent creatures and can learn that certain behaviors result in attention from their owners. If your guinea pig notices that licking stimulates you or their owners to cuddle or talk to them, they might use licking as a way to seek your attention. This behavior was evident with my three little furry friends Tofu, Widget, and Zara, who often licked my hand when they wanted more cuddling or attention and when I stopped interacting with them.
Comfort, Security, and Safe Environment
Licking can also indicate that your guinea pig feels safe and secure with you. Gripping, rough handling, or making things forcefully can cause anxiety and fear in your guinea pig. Try holding your guinea pig gently on your lap and cuddle with them if the pig is comfortable to resolve the query of why guinea pigs lick you Similar to how they might hide in a cozy hiding spot, licking can be a way for them to express that they are comfortable in your presence. This is supported by the fact that my Nibblet boy licks more in a relaxed environment, such as during lap time.
Grooming Natures
Guinea pigs being intelligent creatures have natural methods of self-grooming instincts. By licking themselves, their owner, and other cage mates, they extend their grooming behavior to you and other guinea pigs such as treating you like another guinea pig. When your guinea pig is licking your hand, they are essentially grooming you and making sure you’re nice and clean for them. This is a sign that they see you as part of their family. This behavior was frequently discussed in the guinea pig forums I visited, where many owners noted that their pets would groom them in this manner and clean their cage mates by licking them to keep their family bond strong and long-lasting.
Food Smell
Guinea pigs love to eat and nibble on fresh foods and have a good sense of detecting the smell of any food if you just have come into contact with some tasty food in the kitchen or freezer, etc. or sometimes you prepare any food and forget to wash your hands, in that case, guinea pigs can lick your hands to taste and smell the flavor on your hands while kit is perfectly safe if the food or something you prepared was the food which is safe and recommended food to feed your guinea pigs.
However, if the food is not safe just like jalapenos peppers, pickles, cheerios, olives, meat, etc.; some are toxic and harmful to their health and digestive system. So, you must also know about those foods not recommended to feed guinea pigs for their safe and healthy life.
For the safety of your guinea pigs, if you are not sure about the safe and unsafe food for guinea pigs, it is always recommended to wash your hands thoroughly before handling your guinea pigs or after cutting or preparing any food or something that can be licked by guinea pigs through your hands or any bowl or pot.
Fear and Discomfort
In some cases, your Guinea pigs may show signs like biting, lunging, and Licking, and sometimes they will jump up and down on the spot, whirring and screeching though, so it’s usually easy to tell that there is something wrong or could be licking you out of fear or discomfort. If you see these types of indications try to understand their behavior and always look for some gentle treatment to feel them comfortable and secure around you.
Is Guinea Pig Licking A Good Thing?
Yes, there is nothing to worry about your guinea pigs either licking you, your hand, your face, or their cage mates or other guinea pigs around them until and unless showing clear signs of fear and discomfort or some other underlying health problems. Licking you and other guinea pigs is a sign of affection and a strong bond which is always a good sign. Most of the time guinea pigs lick as a sign of natural grooming. Guinea pigs Pistachio and Zypher are more likely to lick me during or after a grooming session or when they are particularly relaxed.
Being patient, gentle handling and gradual grooming can lead to positive trust building that can help them associate you with security and comfort and make them feel secure to avoid the signs your guinea pig hates you. When my guinea pigs lick me, I often respond by gently petting them, reinforcing that this behavior is met with affection and gentle love to make a loving bond. Responding positively to licking has strengthened the bond between me and my guinea pigs.
One important thing is to recognize and judge their licking, I try to recognize the licking of my guinea pigs as a form of communication that has helped me better understand their needs and behaviors and sometimes their health problems that are very important to understand and treat on time.
Should I let my guinea pig lick me?
The short answer is, yes, you should let your guinea pig lick you if you want to get your guinea pig to show you love in their way, sometimes all it takes is time, care, trust, and feeling secure. Guinea Pigs show many signals and ways of conveying that they mean lots of different things and one of them is licking their owners, it is how these little jolly creatures communicate with their companions and owners. They do not show affection and love to you until they know you and trust you completely.
As told earlier, guinea pigs show affection and love by licking their owners and cage mates. Sometimes they will lick you as a sign of conveying something like telling their health and discomfort. So, you only need to understand and look into the behaviors and signs they show to you for a lovely bond. One other reason for licking your is the natural salt in your body which is licked by guinea pigs.
Therefore, it is fine to let your Guinea Pig lick you and other guinea pigs. While licking the salt from your skin should be perfectly safe for a Guinea Pig, it is still best to wash your hands before handling one just in case you have something potentially harmful on your skin.
Conclusion:
When your guinea pig licks you, it’s a multifaceted behavior that can indicate affection, curiosity, a desire for attention, seeking food, tasting salt, or a sense of comfort or discomfort. Understanding this behavior and responding appropriately can deepen your bond with your pet and ensure they feel loved and secure in your environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does it mean when a guinea pig licks each other?
Yes, it is completely normal and is a sign of healthy social interaction. When guinea pigs lick each other, it often signifies affection, bonding, social hierarchy, comfort, and hygiene. This behavior is a crucial part of their social interactions and helps to maintain a pleasant and healthy environment within their guinea pig group. By understanding these behaviors, you can better appreciate the complex social dynamics of your guinea pig cage mates.
What does it mean when a guinea pig licks themselves?
Yes, it is normal, when a guinea pig licks themselves, it typically means they are grooming. This behavior is a natural way for guinea pigs to clean their fur, remove rubble, and maintain personal hygiene. Self-licking is important for keeping their coat in good condition and preventing skin issues. It can also be a soothing activity, helping them feel comfortable and relaxed. If your guinea pig is licking excessively, however, it could indicate a skin problem or stress, and a vet visit should be necessary ASAP to keep them active and healthy.
What does it mean when a guinea pig licks their cage?
When a guinea pig licks their cage, it can mean a few things. Often, they may be exploring their environment or have seen something new or astonishing around their environment, using their mouths to gather information about their surroundings.
Licking can also be a sign of boredom or a way to seek attention from their owners. In some cases, guinea pigs may lick the cage bars if they detect traces of salt or any food. One other reason for licking their cage may be due to the jaw massage which they usually do by rubbing on their owners’ hand as well. So, you need to understand the reason for licking their cage and treat it urgently to keep a healthy bond.
What does it mean when a guinea pig licks and nibbles you?
When a guinea pig licks and nibbles you, it usually signifies affection and bonding. Licking is a way for them to show they like and trust you, similar to how they groom each other. Nibbling can be a gentle investigative behavior or a way to communicate with their owners, often done out of curiosity or as a form of social interaction with their owners and other cage mates. However, if the nibbling is hard or persistent, it may indicate they want attention or are trying to communicate fear or discomfort, or a need, such as hunger or any health-related issue.
