Advice Needed: Are Our 2 Guinea Pigs The Same Sex?

[PiggieMummy]

Hi, I hope somebody will be able to help. We got 2 'girl' guinea pigs last weekend. Having checked them properly tonight I'm certain one is a boy but not sure about the other, which is a few weeks younger. What does the 2nd picture look like to you? Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[Wiebke]

Yes, they are both boys!

You can double check yourself by pressing gently just above the penis. it should come out. When you look into the slit, it shoudl be straight, whereas a female slit has little side flaps inside and an x- shaped slit opening.
http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm (compare the pics for three weeks old piggies before the testicles have descended)

 

[PiggieMummy]

Phew! Thanks so much for such a swift response! The bigger, slightly older, one has been spending a fair bit of time in the evenings chasing and trying to mount the younger piggy who thankfully doesn't seem to mind too much. Am I right to just leave them to it? Is it likely to settle down?

 

[Julesie]

It's just how males display dominance. It's normal behaviour. If the other one is fine with it then its most likely he's a submissive piggie in the boar duo.

They'll settle down. =)

 

[Wiebke]

You will find these threads here helpful in understanding your piggies. Dominance behaviour is vital in establishing and maintaining a hierarchy. Boars go through a hormonal period between 4-14 months old where they are plagued by hormonal spikes.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/

 

[lauraboara]

Goodluck with your boys - definitely boy bits there. It might be worth giving some feedback to the place where you got the piggies from? Providing you with 'girls' that are actually boys is not great. If they are not good at sexing, you could have easily have been given a mixed pair and a lot of problems.

Anyway, at least you can now get to know your boys and and probably have to think about new names. Have they got names now?

 

[PiggieMummy]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, and the really useful links Wiebeke. Thankfully the boys (who fortunately had unisex names already!) are starting to calm down a little now and seem to be settling in well.