Ethelandmarigold
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi,
I recently got two young guinea pigs. They used to live with quite a few others but when I selected them, I did so because they were huddled together. I never see any fighting, I do see disputes when say, one is coming over to another and they shoo them away, or one wants to sit where the other is and they don’t let them, but never any actual fights.
One female is larger and always vocal (never squeals just chats and sometime rumblestruts), the other is smaller and silent but I think the vocal one may be the lower ranker.
Anyway, they will sit together, although often they sit apart, nothing ever happens when they eat or drink.
The day I got them, my larger female had a bit of a pink ear and the following few days it would be pink too. No wounds just pink, I figured she was maybe hot and kept an eye on it.
Yesterday I came home quite late and had a look at them, and she had a scab and a spot, both with puss in which later burst and the bottom of her other ear was inflamed but no spots or scabs so I washed with saline and put on sudocreme, made her an appointment with the vet and took her today.
He seems to think it’s bites and she is being bullied and they may not get along. The sounds are only small and she’s on antibiotic as they did have puss in. I brought them back and they’ve been snuggling under one of their huts. I have seen the smaller one snap at her for trying to squeeze in a hut sand when she was getting up a bit later on but that was forgotten quickly and they’re sat together again. She never retaliates but does wander off vocalising.
They have 4 huts, two bowls, two lots of hay, a water bowl and a water bottle so there’s not much to dispute over.
Other than normal dominance behaviours, I never see any aggression or fights, never full chasing or heavy attacks.
Anyone any ideas? I don’t want to split them up but I’m not sure what else it is, unless the ear problem isn’t bites.
They are both only 3 months old and I’ve only had them as a pair for a week, so I’m thinking they’re just sorting out dominance? Both I and be vet have looked over them both and there was no other bites, lumps or bumps.
Sorry long thread.
Thanks in advance
I recently got two young guinea pigs. They used to live with quite a few others but when I selected them, I did so because they were huddled together. I never see any fighting, I do see disputes when say, one is coming over to another and they shoo them away, or one wants to sit where the other is and they don’t let them, but never any actual fights.
One female is larger and always vocal (never squeals just chats and sometime rumblestruts), the other is smaller and silent but I think the vocal one may be the lower ranker.
Anyway, they will sit together, although often they sit apart, nothing ever happens when they eat or drink.
The day I got them, my larger female had a bit of a pink ear and the following few days it would be pink too. No wounds just pink, I figured she was maybe hot and kept an eye on it.
Yesterday I came home quite late and had a look at them, and she had a scab and a spot, both with puss in which later burst and the bottom of her other ear was inflamed but no spots or scabs so I washed with saline and put on sudocreme, made her an appointment with the vet and took her today.
He seems to think it’s bites and she is being bullied and they may not get along. The sounds are only small and she’s on antibiotic as they did have puss in. I brought them back and they’ve been snuggling under one of their huts. I have seen the smaller one snap at her for trying to squeeze in a hut sand when she was getting up a bit later on but that was forgotten quickly and they’re sat together again. She never retaliates but does wander off vocalising.
They have 4 huts, two bowls, two lots of hay, a water bowl and a water bottle so there’s not much to dispute over.
Other than normal dominance behaviours, I never see any aggression or fights, never full chasing or heavy attacks.
Anyone any ideas? I don’t want to split them up but I’m not sure what else it is, unless the ear problem isn’t bites.
They are both only 3 months old and I’ve only had them as a pair for a week, so I’m thinking they’re just sorting out dominance? Both I and be vet have looked over them both and there was no other bites, lumps or bumps.
Sorry long thread.
Thanks in advance
