Hello. I'm new to this forum and new to owning guinea pigs. We have 2 girls who are 4 weeks and 4 days old. They are sisters and when we first got them they seemed to get along well.
We are now noticing one of them will chase the other aggressively and it looks like they nip at each other or will stare at each other then nip or chase. It doesnt seem like play to me
The one doing more of the chasing seems to be a bit more anxious. If you go get her from the cage she will run around trying to avoid you. The one being chased more often by the other one, seems much more relaxed and calm.
Sometimes it starts over food....we have seen them take food out of each others mouths and that will be a trigger but other times food isn't an issue or there doesnt seem to be a trigger that we can identify.
They have a fairly decent sized cage....I'd say its maybe 4ft long by 2ft wide. And they always have timothy hay and pellets and given fresh veggies/fruit 2x a day.
Is this behaviour normal or should we be concerned at this point?
Thanks so much amd I'm looking forward to learning from everyone here!
Hi and welcome
Piggies can surprise you; they are by no means the sweet animated cuddly toys as which are sadly all too often perceived by the general public. They are a species of long domesticated rodents that live in smaller groups in larger colonies. The whole society is strictly hierarchical, so as soon as the babies are weaned they become part of that hierarchy and they always need to establish that. Even a single piggy is not just an individual; it is in effect a group of one and the leader of that group. When you get to know piggies, you will find that they are personalities that are every bit as complex and strong as humans in their social interactions. Which is why love them so much.
How long have you had your babies? 3-4 weeks is basically weaning age and very young for selling babies, frankly. They should ideally be older/sturdier with more developed immune system, and have had more guidance/socialisation from their elders before they are being sold to the unsuspecting.
What you are witnessing is your babies establishing their own group hierarchy in their new territory. Chasing, nipping throwing the under-pig out of a hidey or from a food bowl are typical for the dominance phase that follows any bonding or any arrival in a new place/group establishment.
Please make sure that you only use hideys that have two exits so the under-pig cannot be trapped by the dominant piggy and feed veg (50g max per piggy per day) and pellets (2 tablespoons per piggy per day for youngsters under 4 months and 1 tablespoon for adults) in a bowl per piggy and in portions that can be eaten in one go and removed in between meals. Unlimited hay should make over 80% of the daily food intake; the more hay your piggies eat, the better their long term health and their life expectancy. It can add 1-2 years to their life in my own experience. Make sure that access cannot be blocked and if necessary have it in two different places. Also have two water bottles at different ends so access cannot be blocked. These measures will minimise any food bullying.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Please always double-check the gender of your piggies upon arrival. Mis-sexing is sadly all too common.
You can post preferably clear and well-lit pictures on here but we will still ask you to perform the hands-on part of the check yourself (ideally it is a two-person check). Our illustrated sexing guide shows you where exactly to look and what to check. Learning how to sex piggies properly without having to rely on the all too often wrong judgement of people who should know better is not the worst life skill to acquire!
What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)
Here are our tips on how to settle your piggies, understand how their instincts work and how you can interact with them in a way they immediately understand ('piggy whispering'):
Settling In And Making Friends With Guinea Pigs - A Guide
Again these guides are all part of our very useful New Owners guide collection which really addresses the most common questions, concerns and problems that new owners have in a practical and precise way without glossing over the tricky bits like so many books. Our guide format means that we can constantly update and extend our information. It is good link to bookmark and use as a resource in the coming weeks and months:
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides
You are of course always welcome to ask any questions that you have along the way in our Care sections.
