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Female Guinea Pigs Chasing Each Other

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guineapigloveee

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I'm new to owning guinea pigs so I don't have much idea on what their behaviours mean so I would appreciate a little guidance! My female guinea pigs are absolutely fine in the day, they cuddle and follow each other about and share food ect but when it gets to night time they start madly chasing each other and growling at one an other. they have been absolutey fine since i got them it's only really been recently that it's started to happen. Could it maybe be that I have to get them a bigger cage as they're growing up or is it just their personalities coming out? They're not attacking each other they just madly chase each other round the cage so it's not dangerous at the moment it's just quite annoying having to listen to them bang into the cage for about an hour! and i don't like to think of them as unhappy guineas. any suggestions?
 
What sort of cage do they have? What size is it?
 
It sounds a bit small, but would depend on how many piggies are in it, there is a sticky thread in a the housing forum about cage size but I'm not sure how to put the link @sport_billy @furryfriends (TEAS)
 
Yeah I second that, pets are home unfortunately aren't too great when it comes to piggy knowledge. Something I found out for myself after buying a hutch they suggested that turned out to be too small. :(

Like @Gem789 said, the cage is a bit smaller than the recommended minimum size for 2 sows. Have you ever looked into C and C cages? You can set them to any shape and size, and they usually work out cheaper than the pet store ones.
 
That's a shame. P@H have a lot to answer for with people buying cages that aren't really big enough. You could expand it by opening up the front and putting on a wee ramp and a cheap run or a small bit of C&C, so it doesn't go to waste. There are some examples of some the things you can do on these threads Member Gallery: Commercial Cages
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/member-gallery-c-c-cages-homemade-cages.53210/
If you start at the end and work your way back, as some of the earlier pics don't show any more.
 
guineapigloveee said:
I'm new to owning guinea pigs so I don't have much idea on what their behaviours mean so I would appreciate a little guidance! My female guinea pigs are absolutely fine in the day, they cuddle and follow each other about and share food ect but when it gets to night time they start madly chasing each other and growling at one an other. they have been absolutey fine since i got them it's only really been recently that it's started to happen. Could it maybe be that I have to get them a bigger cage as they're growing up or is it just their personalities coming out? They're not attacking each other they just madly chase each other round the cage so it's not dangerous at the moment it's just quite annoying having to listen to them bang into the cage for about an hour! and i don't like to think of them as unhappy guineas. any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!

Please always get as large a cage as your can afford. Guinea pigs are ground roaming animals that need a lot of space to run around in! Zooming around and barging into each other is play, popcorning madly is an expression of joy, especially in young piggies. Sadly pet shops still get away with selling overpriced hamster-sized "starter cages" to the unwary and uninformed customers. :(
Cage Size Guide

Your two girls are currently in the dominance phase of establishing a group hierarchy. Please take the time to read these guides her so you understand better what is going on and what you are going to see as they come into season.
Illustrated Bonding / Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics
Sow Behaviour

Always double check the gender of any new guinea pigs. Mis-sexing happens. Sexing Guinea Pigs: How to Sex a Guinea Pig
Sows have a fleshy arrangement just inside the opening of their slit; boars goes straight down into the cavity that gets larger once their testicles descend. They do not have this fleshy seal.

We have got lots more information on settling in and interacting with your guinea pigs, picking them up safely, care tips, safe and unsafe toys and cage accessories, as well as how to learn to spot what is normal and what not, as well as spotting illness early on etc. You may find our starter collection of guides for new owners very helpful. We have tried to combine answers to the most often encountered issues by new owners with some necessary need-to-know information that can help you to avoid problems in the longer run.
New Owners' Online Starter " Booklet" For Really Helpful Advice

Since we have got members from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details, so we can tailor any advice and recommendations to what is available and doable where you are straight away. Please click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make. Thank you!
 
Thank you everyone! I will definitely look into getting a bigger cage when I next get paid. It's a shame that pets at home are more than happy to sell small cages to owners because they probably know they'll end up coming back to buy another one. Thank you again!
 
guineapigloveee said:
Thank you everyone! I will definitely look into getting a bigger cage when I next get paid. It's a shame that pets at home are more than happy to sell small cages to owners because they probably know they'll end up coming back to buy another one. Thank you again!
Click to expand...

Have a look online for much cheaper larger cages, or research C&C cages.
All About C & C Grid Cages Around The World
When looking for larger traditional cage, look for 2x4 ft plus sizes:
This one here is currently on discount: Plaza 140 Small Pet Cage
 
Is 142 x 60 x 50 cm (L x W x H) good or great size for two full grown guinea pigs that are female
 
Is it normal for my girl guinea pigs to chase each other around the cage? it is funny tho
 
You could buy an indoor playpen to give them some more room to run round- thats much cheaper than a cage as a temporary solution or just as a fun thing for them to have! We have a BunnyBusiness playpen we bought from Amazon and the piggies get 3 or 4 hours playtime in it every evening. They love to chase each other, and then they calm down a bit by bedtime.
 
Me too! Its waiting with a big pile of old clean towels for Theo after his plum fairy operation.
 
Lucie masters said:
Is 142 x 60 x 50 cm (L x W x H) good or great size for two full grown guinea pigs that are female
Click to expand...

The cage is a good size for two piggies.

For sow behaviours, please see this guide: Bonds In Trouble

Please start your own thread in the future to avoid confusion and butting in on somebody else's issues.
It is A LOT of work for us to disintangle two threads if that is possible!
You can start your very own thread by clicking on the big 'post new thread' button in each section. Thank you!
 
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