Bullying?

[lexi468]

Hello!
So around six months ago my guinea pig Midnight passed away, and his cage mate was left without another pig. I adopted a pig named Mocho, who was around 1.5 years old. I assumed Mocha (Midnights previous mate) was around the same age, but I'm not sure as he was a rescue. Anyways, introductions went really well. Mocha is the dominant pig, which I wasn't expecting. They've been living together successfully since. In the past month or so I've noticed Mocha jumping Mocho a lot more. I hear Mocho wheeking about incentive or twice a day in submission. As far as I can tell, Mocha humps Mocho a lot more when he's excited, like when I'm bringing them food. But often when I'm just sitting in their room, they seem to sleep peacefully. Should I just keep my eye on this, or is this bullying behavior? I read the thread but I am still just not sure. The incessant humping worries me, but if it's not accompanied by any other bullying behavior, is it still an issue?

 

[Piggies&buns]

If it’s just the humping then I wouldn’t be concerned at all. Humping is a normal behaviour, he is just asserting his dominance. You only need to really worry if there is a full on fight which ends up in drawing blood.

 

[Swissgreys]

It does sound like normal boar behavior, but it is good you are keeping an eye on things.
Do you weigh your boys weekly? This can be a good indicator of how they are doing, and will ffer an early indication if one piggy is stressed or missing out on his share of the food.

I would also make sure they have several hides at different points around their cage, and 2 food bowls and water bottles.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello!
So around six months ago my guinea pig Midnight passed away, and his cage mate was left without another pig. I adopted a pig named Mocho, who was around 1.5 years old. I assumed Mocha (Midnights previous mate) was around the same age, but I'm not sure as he was a rescue. Anyways, introductions went really well. Mocha is the dominant pig, which I wasn't expecting. They've been living together successfully since. In the past month or so I've noticed Mocha jumping Mocho a lot more. I hear Mocho wheeking about incentive or twice a day in submission. As far as I can tell, Mocha humps Mocho a lot more when he's excited, like when I'm bringing them food. But often when I'm just sitting in their room, they seem to sleep peacefully. Should I just keep my eye on this, or is this bullying behavior? I read the thread but I am still just not sure. The incessant humping worries me, but if it's not accompanied by any other bullying behavior, is it still an issue?

Hi!

Some boars are humping a lot more than others, sometimes multiple times in a day as a kind of 'hey, bro, I am here!' gesture.
I divide my own boys into 'rumble-singers' and 'mountaineers' - you usually get either the one or the other.
Climbing on other piggies when waiting or begging for food is also something my sows do.

At the level you are describing, it is not a worry and it is not bullying, just over-excitement. Bullying mounting is literally nonstop, not allowing the bullied boy to eat, drink or sleep in peace and the bullied boar becoming very withdrawn and losing weight.
Adult boars (yours are just about out of the teenage months) can still suffer from the odd strong hormone spike, but at the worst a 2 day separation with a temporary divider and a re-intro on neutral ground will do the trick if they get into a tiff.
But it doesn't sound like you are anywhere near this league.
Bonds In Trouble

 

[lexi468]

Thank you for the advice everybody!