Guinea pig behaviours

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Vicky2021

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Hi all,

Hoping you can help.

I bought 2 sows at the end of June, one was 9 weeks and one 10.

I had them in a hutch originally which I realised was too small, as someone helpfully pointed out so I gave them free roam to the dining room via some little stairs and then ordered a 120x60 handmade hutch for them both which they have been in for a couple of weeks and both seem content in there and popcorn a lot.

One of the sows is more confident, one is very nervous, the nervous one is intrigued by me but squeals when I hold her, super loud. I’ve checked her over and vet done a check, all fine. They both let me hand feed them and sniff me, they walk around the cage when I’m there and don’t run away unless there is a loud noise.

The issues I’m having are:

- the one that’s more nervous squeals all the time eg if I lift the more confident one out the cage for a short moment to transfer to the run for cleaning out, she starts squealing and stressing the other one out. Even when I give them free roam she squeals if her sister isn’t following her and runs back to her her and it’s making them both overall more nervous
- ive noticed the less nervous one is becoming more dominant and they’re close but I bought them a big house to share in the cage, then she moves the more nervous one out of both the houses as she wants them to herself and I can hear a bit of squealing but I can’t see any bite marks etc

I’m struggling to learn to handle them both when one is incredibly nervous and making the other one nervous! I need to brush the less nervous one as she has long hair that’s got a bit out of control and a little dirty just at the back due to toileting but when I try to do anything the more nervous sow starts squealing and they both panic

Does it get better? Just need some guidance!
 
They're still very young and you've made a lot of progress gaining their trust. It can take time. Would the squealer prefer to be transported in a little tunnel or box, there are videos on YouTube of how to do that. Piggies are vocal, it's how they communicate. I put a blanket on the sofa and put both piggies there when I'm doing anything with one, so they can see their friend. And also they can pick up when we're panicking, so the more calm you can be, or pretend to be, the better 😊
 
I have two 4 month old girls and they have really bad separation anxiety issues. When I get one piggy out, the other still in the cage will start searching for the other and squeak super loudly non stop. The one I am holding will then get really worked up and want to go back to the cage as soon as she hears the other squeaking. They are both already quite trusting of me (take food from my hand, have fallen asleep on me, don't run away from me, etc.) so I think this is just something they may need a little more time to grow out of since they are still relatively young.

I am also considering getting a third piggy if I can manage to find the space for a bigger cage because I think that would certainly help. Right now the best solutions for me are to either get them out together or just put one back as soon as the other starts to realize the other is missing. Sometimes I will give a treat to the piggy in the cage because it buys me more time with the other pig too. Maybe you can try that next time you have to get one out for hair brushing. Keep them in the same area so she knows her friend is still there and distract her with snacks! It has definitely worked for me when giving medicines. Hopefully it works for you! 😊
 
I would get both out together. A few members on here ‘teach’ their piggies to walk into a carrier or something similar to get them out of the cage. The loud squeaking may be because she doesn’t like being picked up and possibly also handled (if she squeals while you’re handling her). With regards the long haired one, do you trim the hair to keep it short and easier to maintain? Have a read of the hair cutting guide below.
An Illustrated Guide to Hair Cutting
 
Vicky2021 said:
Hi all,

Hoping you can help.

I bought 2 sows at the end of June, one was 9 weeks and one 10.

I had them in a hutch originally which I realised was too small, as someone helpfully pointed out so I gave them free roam to the dining room via some little stairs and then ordered a 120x60 handmade hutch for them both which they have been in for a couple of weeks and both seem content in there and popcorn a lot.

One of the sows is more confident, one is very nervous, the nervous one is intrigued by me but squeals when I hold her, super loud. I’ve checked her over and vet done a check, all fine. They both let me hand feed them and sniff me, they walk around the cage when I’m there and don’t run away unless there is a loud noise.

The issues I’m having are:

- the one that’s more nervous squeals all the time eg if I lift the more confident one out the cage for a short moment to transfer to the run for cleaning out, she starts squealing and stressing the other one out. Even when I give them free roam she squeals if her sister isn’t following her and runs back to her her and it’s making them both overall more nervous
- ive noticed the less nervous one is becoming more dominant and they’re close but I bought them a big house to share in the cage, then she moves the more nervous one out of both the houses as she wants them to herself and I can hear a bit of squealing but I can’t see any bite marks etc

I’m struggling to learn to handle them both when one is incredibly nervous and making the other one nervous! I need to brush the less nervous one as she has long hair that’s got a bit out of control and a little dirty just at the back due to toileting but when I try to do anything the more nervous sow starts squealing and they both panic

Does it get better? Just need some guidance!
Click to expand...

This all sounds like normal behaviour.

If you only remove one of the piggies, and there is squealing, then It is because they dont like to be separated. Remove them both at the same time. I use a carrier and get them both into it at the same time and then transfer them out at the same time. My two boys are never separated.

It is entirely normal for the dominant piggy to get the pick of the best houses and entirely normal for the dominant to remove the submissive piggy from a house. This is why there should be multiple of every item in the cage and all hides should have two exits. Most Piggies do not want to share a hide, they would rather be in one by themselves.. The squealing in this case is likely submission squealing - the submissive piggy saying to the dominant that she accepts her position and is no threat to the dominant piggy. Nothing to be concerned about.

Its also quite normal for them to not want to be handled - some get used to it, some dont. Using the trick of herding them into a carrier to move them to another area also works for picking them up - herd the into a carrier and then pick them up from there. This can be used any time you need to do a anything with them - the weekly health and weight checks, moving them to a play area, or for nail/hair trims.

How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
 
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