I’ve had my guinea pig for about two months with out any problem. She’s about a month and a half old. So I decided to get a new one so they can bond. I reached out to a rescue and they had one female named lea she’s at least half a year old ( 100g bigger) but that said she was antsy. I wanted to give it a shot. The two were placed on neutral territory and they seem to be getting along well. They rescue worker was impressed on lea’s behavior because she had problem finding a whole once before. So we decided we will take her then 5 minutes after we left the rescue they started to fight. And lea started to chatter her teeth. So we separated the two until we got home. Lea keeps chatter her teeth and they got into a fight again. She also chases my Guinea pig into a corner and I’d separate the two until they go their separate ways. ( I truly don’t think these two will get along at all) Any help Or suggestions? Or should I just return the New Guinea pig?
Bonding is not going well :(
- Thread starter Mai
- Start date
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
What do you mean they’re fighting. What exactly are they doing? Did you thoroughly clean out the cage you put them in? And what did you transport them home in? Chasing and teeth chattering is mild dominance. Have a read of the thread below and decide whether they don’t get on.
Bonds In Trouble
Bonds In Trouble
I cleaned out their transport cage completely with new bedding and everything. They started to attack each other flinging bedding everywhere in the car
Mo & Stubbins & Vani
Adult Guinea Pig
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What do you mean by attacking? Was blood drawn? Were they biting one another?
Blood was not drawn it’s kinda hard to describe. Lea chanced maxi in a corner and that went at it. It sounded like a bird landed in the cage. It seemed like you know the petty “girly” clawing fight. And lea was heavily chattering her teeth
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
So Lea chased Max and was Max squeaking? Read the link above and the one below as well. That gives the signs of a dysfunctional bond. Now you’ve separated them how are they acting?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
they are on opposite ends of the cage very quiet not doing anything. I read that. It seems as though maxi is you know trying to get to know her while also being submissive. But idk lea seems like she’s not having it. Everything is cool right now though
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
Which dominance behaviours are being displayed from the last link I sent? And which category are they in?
What size cage do they have? And have you split it? Bear in mind they won’t necessarily cuddle up.
Chasing, mounting and humping are normal dominance behaviours. How long were they together at the rescue?
What size cage do they have? And have you split it? Bear in mind they won’t necessarily cuddle up.
Chasing, mounting and humping are normal dominance behaviours. How long were they together at the rescue?
Maxi is more submissive and lea is more on the side of “ getting more serious”
10 minutes or more
Yes slight chasing
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
Chasing is normal and mild dominance. They have to sort out their hierarchy. And this behaviour can continue for up to two weeks after they move into their cage. Read the section on serious aggression/fighting in the last linked thread. I don’t think it sounds like a fight. Sows don’t tend to fight, they’re more...’subtle’ about making their dislike for each other known.
How big is their cage?
How big is their cage?
2x10
Hi!
Sorry about the mess!
Poor pigs - one or both probably panicked finding themselves with a stranger in a confined space in a very stressful environment way out of their comfort zone; just one wrong move (fear-aggression) can set it off if the wrong kind of signals are exchanged if they are both on edge. Ideally you never bring home newly bonded piggies in the same carrier, especially when the bonding process is just begun and always re-introduce on neutral ground for several hours (if necessary overnight) before transferring to their shared cage.
Please give them several days' time out and see whether they will come round or whether it is truly the end of the road for them. Once piggies have made up their mind that they don't suit, then you have had it. Bonding is not just half an hour of meeting, it takes several hours to 2-3 days to work through the roughest bit and around two weeks on average to establish the group fully. The bonding can fail at any stage during this time.
Please use our guides to judge how serious the situation is and whether any dominance is within the acceptable bounds of mild to medium dominance or is going further.
I would recommend to contact the place and speak with them if things don't settle down a level or two after about 2-3 days.
Please keep in mind that reported 'fighting' can cover anything from the mildest bit of dominance behaviour to serious fights with deep full-on bites. Without seeing the piggies interact in a video (which you will need to upload on a public setting elsewhere since we don't have a video upload facility on here as we running entirely on voluntary member donations), it is very difficult for us to assess the situation just on the basis of your own perception.
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There is thanks!
Hey! I did reach out they told me to keep it updated on the process if it goes south then we will probably have to return her back. Because this has happened before with lea finding a good hope
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
They need to take a little longer and leave them together for more than 10 minutes. I don’t feel it’s long enough to decide a bond is a good one, but I’m not sure on that. Keep us posted on how it goes with trying again.
10 minutes speed dating is not enough by any means, especially when dealing with a known fear-aggressive piggy. It is sadly a myth that all boars and young sows will click.
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Give them space and time and see how they get on. Fear-aggression can take weeks or months to work through.
UPDATE:
I ended up separating the two, it got worst. Lea even LOUDLY chatters her teeth to me when Refill the food. I reached out to the rescue about my issues. We are returning lea this weekend. He said she was a “problem pig” ( in his words ). Before I separated the two when I come near the cage my guinea maxi stands close to me and leans against the cage like this: like she’s super scared
I ended up separating the two, it got worst. Lea even LOUDLY chatters her teeth to me when Refill the food. I reached out to the rescue about my issues. We are returning lea this weekend. He said she was a “problem pig” ( in his words ). Before I separated the two when I come near the cage my guinea maxi stands close to me and leans against the cage like this: like she’s super scared
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I know that now. I’m new to bonding, The rescuers did seem to think they were Fine and a good match
LMPigs
Junior Guinea Pig
It's a bit of a shame the rescue has labeled the older piggy as a "problem" and doesn't seem to be doing a very effective job of bonding her.
Hopefully you will find a companion that works for Maxi soon
Hopefully you will find a companion that works for Maxi soon