More Biting Explanations Please

[lauralynne]

One of my girls who I've had for a month, has started biting. (She is 5 1/2 mo.) No, not love nibbles - blood drawing biting. Nothing in the environment has changed a bit. In the month I've had her, she has become used to me, will hop right into her dust bath when I put it up to the open cage, has playtime in the bathroom, etc. When it's playtime, she doesn't attack my feet or anything. She'll hop across my legs if I'm sitting on the floor, etc. I haven't been brave enough during playtime to try for scritches.

I was researching and read this thread: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4307&highlight=glove&page=2 but have a few more questions...

I tried the leather glove thing last night for the first time. It was like she thought it was a toy. She'd just keep on biting and pulling at it...like curiosity. I'd firmly say NO, but that didn't do a thing. She gets along just fine with her cagemate, Pixie. Lola is definitely the dominate one (I have to give Lola a treat first or she'll steal the one I give Pixie), but Pixie will lay on her and I have seen NO signs of any fighting.

How long each night should I do the glove thing? What process do you go through when doing that (do you just let them keep chewing)?

I decided last night after doing the glove thing not to give her a treat. I didn't give Pixie one either. Will it make a difference if I give Pixie a treat and "block" Lola from stealing it, but not give her one? (Kinda hoping for a reverse psychology effect here!)
My only other thought was that maybe giving her a small nightly treat has just accustomed her to that and she thinks if my hand is in the cage then she's getting a treat and gets mad when she doesn't.
Should I not do any treats and just continue the glove thing for a while?

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I am by no means a behavioral specialist, but with regard to treats and dominance, this is MY opinion.

Whoever has established dominance should always get her treat first. It is not fair to give the non-biter, non-dominant chin a treat, but not the biting dominant. The dominant is not going to make the connection of "Oh, I bit, therefore, no treat for me." The connection is "I'm #1 -- why didn't I get MY treat -- WHY would non-dominant get one? I'll just steal hers."

I have 2 boys that have both been neutered and they live together quite happily. Mr. Whiskers is my firstborn and was for a long time a single chin, so he is always #1 in my book. The Snuggler, younger and heavier, tried to exert a llittle dominance over him when they were introduced, but Whiskers prevailed. Whiskers takes his treats very gently and gentlemanly, whereas Snuggler grabs at his, llike he's afraid he won't get one. Even if Snuggler tries to take Whiskers' treat, Whiskers knows that I'll always give him another, so he never makes a fuss.

I think that you should keep the treats as a separate issue from when you are trying to curb her biting.

Sorry if that rambled a bit...

 

[Rickman]

Usually the leather gloves deter them because YOU don't feel it, therefore, no reaction from you! They feel it's then a waste of time, and stop!
Are there other things in the cage to chew? Those pumice blocks seem to work pretty well, and I've one in every cage. I know they use them, as they're small balls in no time!
If she's chewing the glove like a toy, maybe that's what she needs!

 

[Tillygizmo]

I think besides the glove maybe you could do some blow training. Maybe just the gloves are not enough and she does think its a game...when she bites the glove, blow at her gently but enough to make her uncomfortable (she will pull her whiskers back and maybe flinch). Keep doing it and eventually it will work

 

[arf2184]

I always figured gloves were simply for your protection, not to deter biting. If anything, gloves would make my chins bite more, just testing to see if the gloves were edible or a new chew toy. Just like anytime I wear a watch, the chins will try to bite pieces of it off.

Before you can resolve the issue, you need to know why she's biting. There are different kinds of biting. There's biting out of fear. The chins goal here is to get you either to release them or to get you to go away. Fear biting is usually a quick hard bite. There's biting out of anger or aggression. Here the chin is not afraid, just simply telling you how unhappy he/she is with you and again trying to get you to let go or go away. These bites generally last the longest and hurt the worst. There is also test biting...this is taste testing that's gotten a little out of hand. You see it in younger chins a lot where they are not really trying to hurt you, but their tasting has gotten to the point where it hurts. They usually don't break the skin though.

Since the biting just started, I doubt its fear biting (I would not use blow training with a fear biter). With taste biting or aggressive biting, blow training generally works.

We are talking about a young chin here. Some of them do go through an sort of rebellious adolescent phase where they don't want anything to do with you and some will bite during this phase. You should be able to work through it just fine. Just try not to provoke her and when she does bite, say a firm (but not frightening) NO and give her a quick puff of air in the face to let her know it's not ok. The word "NO" probably means nothing to her at this point, but if you say it firmly combined with the air in the face, she'll learn. It works with most chins.

 

[lauralynne]

Yep, plenty of apple sticks and a pumice block to chew on, plus her ledges, etc.
Thanks to all, I will try your suggestions!

 

[ann1]

Well i think that she is probably scared. I don't think the gloves are helping her at all. Most likely making her more scared. Personally i wouldn't give a treat tp her after bad behavior. I would firmly tell her no!! I would give the well behaved one a treat tho. When the mean one is nice i would give her one then and only then. Also put a word with the "good" behavior" like saying nice or be nice. You can also do it when the other one is nice cause she might learn how to act from her too. Good luck