14 month old sows fighting

[Willowpigs]

Hi. I have two sows that have lived harmoniously up until now. I now have one that has four wounds ( hair pulled out and blood). Over the last two days! They are in a grid cage that is four by two with a Loft they have two tents that they can get in and out of from front and back and another hidey. They have separate hay racks upstairs and food bowls. They have not fought at all until now and I am seeing no warning signs such as chattering or Lunging. Just coming in to a poor guinea pig with another lump of fur missing! I don’t know what to do please help!

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum
This is outside my experience and I don’t want to give wrong advice but wanted to assure you that other members with more experience will be along to help you.

Sorry you are in this predicament

 

[Wiebke]

Hi. I have two sows that have lived harmoniously up until now. I now have one that has four wounds ( hair pulled out and blood). Over the last two days! They are in a grid cage that is four by two with a Loft they have two tents that they can get in and out of from front and back and another hidey. They have separate hay racks upstairs and food bowls. They have not fought at all until now and I am seeing no warning signs such as chattering or Lunging. Just coming in to a poor guinea pig with another lump of fur missing! I don’t know what to do please help! View attachment 121026

Hi and welcome

Can you please clarify:
- Have you just noticed bald areas with bloody scabs or have you witnessed them fighting?
- How is their body language - are they tense and teeth chattering with each other or behaving like normal?

If they are noticeably not getting on well, then please separate ASAP. Sows can fall out; it is rarer than with boars but not unknown. Once sows have made up their mind that another piggy is not part of their herd, then they are not going to change it unfortunately.
Full-on fights with bloody bites are however extremely rare - they will leave the sows in shock and their behaviour is very much changed and very tense afterwards.
Bonds In Trouble
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

If there is no real change in behaviour, then please see a vet for a potential fungal infection or mange mites; in this case the wounds are self-inflicted because of the discomfort in the skin. That is much more common than actual fighting with serious bites between guinea pigs in fact.
Please do not treat on spec; the issues require different treatment and good quality products, not cheap low dosed broad spectrum pet shop stuff that at the best only temporarily suppresses the symptoms but cannot heal and only prolongs the suffering.
New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites