Dominance

[Meghan]

Help!
I have 3 female pigs living in the same cage they have been the best of friends until now..
I have noticed one of them (Truffle) is wiggling her bum and making a grumbling noise, I believe this is her way of showing them who’s boss?
But one Guinnea pig (Caramel) doesn’t like it and retaliates. It doesn’t look like they are fighting but it seems Truffle likes to wind her up. My other pig (Sherbet) is more laid back and keeps her self to her self.
Should I be worried? As I am scared they will start fighting and one or all get hurt
Thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Help!
I have 3 female pigs living in the same cage they have been the best of friends until now..
I have noticed one of them (Truffle) is wiggling her bum and making a grumbling noise, I believe this is her way of showing them who’s boss?
But one Guinnea pig (Caramel) doesn’t like it and retaliates. It doesn’t look like they are fighting but it seems Truffle likes to wind her up. My other pig (Sherbet) is more laid back and keeps her self to her self.
Should I be worried? As I am scared they will start fighting and one or all get hurt
Thank you

Hi!

Can you please tell us how old your sows are and how long you have had them? The behaviour can have different meanings from establishing dominance in newly bonded sows to a stronger season starting a renewed dominance push in hormonal teenage sows to ovarian cysts in adult/older sows.
Sow Behaviour

 

[Meghan]

Hey
I have had Sherbet and Truffel for around 5 weeks now and Caramel 3
I didn’t put caramel together either the other 2 straight away - I had a separate cage for her and had play dates every day for a week until I felt confident they have bonded and they have been getting on fine (I even spyed on them to make sure) and tonight when I went to sit with them truffel has been showing signs of being more dominant and winds Caramel up with it and it’s clear Caramel doesn’t like it. Truffel does it a few times them stop, they then lie down with each other so I just want some advice on what to do. Thank tou

 

[Piggies&buns]

Sadly guinea pigs don’t do those kind of play dates. The constant being put together and then being separated would have been stressful and would have interrupted the bonding process every time you separated them so they would have to start back from the beginning every time. Once they have been put together for the very first introduction they should have remained together permamently from then on.
This could be one of the reasons you are now seeing this dominance - if they are now permamently together, then the bonding and establishing of the hierarchy is really only just happening.