10 week old piggie sisters - aggressive behavior after brief separation

[Lyn Oprinka]

Hi everyone. We have a pair of 8-10 week old female guinea pigs, Lucifer and Salem. We got them when they were 3 weeks old, and they are sisters. They have pretty different personalities. Salem has always been pretty shy, content to lay around and Luci has always been a bit more rambunctious, trotting around exploring. They are adorable and have been friendly and playful from the beginning. They have taken over a big corner of the living room, in a fleece covered 4x4 C&C cage that is open all the time. So, they are basically free range piggies. (We keep our bedroom doors shut). They are litter trained (we put littler boxes in the cage and they just naturally used them. ) They seemed bonded and slept together and cuddled together in the beginning. I saw a little bit of dominance behavior early on, always with Luci as the dominant pig. Luci would chase Salem and sniff her bum and mount her. It just seemed like playful behavior, nothing very intense. We also saw Luci put her butt in Salem path when we were hand feeding them. It was never anything dramatic, and they would just go their separate ways for a bit and then be fine. Recently, they were separated for 24 hours, as Luci slept overnight at the vets, (she's fine, no surgery or anything). Upon coming home, Luci was happy and wheeking and running around. However, now she seems to need to reinforce her dominance again, same behavior, but Salem seems more fed up. They sleep in separate places now, and dont interact as much. We have 2 water bottles, 3 litter boxes, and sprinkle feed, to reduce any possessiveness. Is there anything I can do to help them play with each other more. I thought of taking them downstairs to play in the basement family room, letting them run around in a new turf. Any other ideas?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone. We have a pair of 8-10 week old female guinea pigs, Lucifer and Salem. We got them when they were 3 weeks old, and they are sisters. They have pretty different personalities. Salem has always been pretty shy, content to lay around and Luci has always been a bit more rambunctious, trotting around exploring. They are adorable and have been friendly and playful from the beginning. They have taken over a big corner of the living room, in a fleece covered 4x4 C&C cage that is open all the time. So, they are basically free range piggies. (We keep our bedroom doors shut). They are litter trained (we put littler boxes in the cage and they just naturally used them. ) They seemed bonded and slept together and cuddled together in the beginning. I saw a little bit of dominance behavior early on, always with Luci as the dominant pig. Luci would chase Salem and sniff her bum and mount her. It just seemed like playful behavior, nothing very intense. We also saw Luci put her butt in Salem path when we were hand feeding them. It was never anything dramatic, and they would just go their separate ways for a bit and then be fine. Recently, they were separated for 24 hours, as Luci slept overnight at the vets, (she's fine, no surgery or anything). Upon coming home, Luci was happy and wheeking and running around. However, now she seems to need to reinforce her dominance again, same behavior, but Salem seems more fed up. They sleep in separate places now, and dont interact as much. We have 2 water bottles, 3 litter boxes, and sprinkle feed, to reduce any possessiveness. Is there anything I can do to help them play with each other more. I thought of taking them downstairs to play in the basement family room, letting them run around in a new turf. Any other ideas?

Hi! Your girls are growing up and are becoming more independent now; they are no longer just weaned babies in desperate need of their mum and companionship.

Their behaviour is perfectly normal. Only a minority of piggies will cuddle up at night, and even those not for the whole time. It is one of these myths that is perpetuated by people creating a wrong impression by showing off their snuggling piggies on social media.

You have to expect some dominance behaviour after each separation and again when they have stronger seasons and become a bit more argumentative teenagers. My worst teenage squabblers have all been sister pairs or trios.

 

[Lyn Oprinka]

Oh, good to know. I didn't realize they would stop sleeping together. I miss those baby days, they would just cuddle up against my neck and nibble and lick my chin like they were nursing. ;( When they go through separations I wonder do they ever swap "top" piggie roles? I just realized this time around, that Salem seems to be the one chasing Luci. Interesting what time will bring, two teenage girls... They are now sitting under my chair making up and running noses quite happily. Geez, I thought I just got out of that phase, my kids will finally both be off to college next month.

Salem is gaining weight faster than Luci, and is the bigger, more solid one right now, so we'll see how this develops.

So much fun. We had a rabbit before, but the guinea pigs are much more interested in us, which we all get a kick out of.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Wiebke]

Oh, good to know. I didn't realize they would stop sleeping together. I miss those baby days, they would just cuddle up against my neck and nibble and lick my chin like they were nursing. ;( When they go through separations I wonder do they ever swap "top" piggie roles? I just realized this time around, that Salem seems to be the one chasing Luci. Interesting what time will bring, two teenage girls... They are now sitting under my chair making up and running noses quite happily. Geez, I thought I just got out of that phase, my kids will finally both be off to college next month.

Salem is gaining weight faster than Luci, and is the bigger, more solid one right now, so we'll see how this develops.

So much fun. We had a rabbit before, but the guinea pigs are much more interested in us, which we all get a kick out of.

Thanks for letting me know.

A separation forces a re-establishment of the existing hierarchy. If the balance has changed in the meantime, it can mean a new top lady and the relevant dominance behaviour. If at all possible, please leave both piggies together.

The teenage months last from 4-14 months of age with the high point of the hormones usually around 6 months.
Right now, your girls are just moving from tiny babies which have been removed a bit earlier than we would recommend to more grown-up behaviour and independence.