Guinea Pigs Fighting

LauMelissa

LauMelissa

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hey!

I desperately seeking advice.

My two boys guineas are not getting along.
One is clearly the dominant one, the other being submissive. However the dominant one will not stop chasing and trying to mount the other. Chatters his teeth at him. Then squeaks angrily too.

I have to keep seperating them. This can be done when they are outside as we have a two storey hutch which we can easily make into two seperate ones by blocking off the ladder space.

However, I am worried it's still a little cold to put them out over night.

Are there any solutions to this or will they forever fight. I adopted them and they are brothers. I dont want to re-home them and for them to go through that again, my 9 year daughter also adores them.

We have seperated them overnight when this happened the first time. This did seem to help however not for long!
They are the cutest boys so just need some advice on what to do going forward to ensure they are happy.

Thank you 🙂
 
How long have you had them?
How old are they?
How big is their cage?

Character compatibility is the key to a successful bond and being brothers does not mean they are compatible. You can’t make them like each other.
Dominance is normal, but If the behaviour becomes consistent so the submissive pig is not allowed to eat, rest etc, generally looks unhappy and is being constantly harassed by the other, then it may well be turning into bullying.

A trial separation is advised to see if the submissive piggy perks up. If he becomes much happier when away then that is the sign of a dysfunctional bond and permanent separation will be necessary. The solution would be to have them live alongside each other so they can still have interaction through the bars.

Constantly separating and reintroducing won’t help matters, it will just mean they reinforce the dominance when they are put back together. A trial separation really is a one time thing and then make a decision - if they can’t get on, then they must live apart

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Moody guinea pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
 
Thank you for your advice. I was purely going off advice from this forum and others regarding the seperation of them for a few days.

Same with everything else I have done. I like to try all options. I am not a guinea pig expert so I can only go off what I read up and try it to see.

They are roughly 2 years old. I rehomed them so I do not know the exact age.

The submissive one does seem happier when on own.

The cage is big, both the indoor and outdoor one.
They have their own bed etc. Plenty of toys. Things to chew.

I have purchased another cage for indoor also and will seperate the outdoor hutch to keep them apart. One will have the top living area and other the bottom.

The bully guinea does seem forever wound up.
Squeaking and just not happy.
It is a shame but can't be together if do not get along.
 
If you are going to separate them permanently, then they need to be able to live alongside each other. Interaction is about more than just seeing. There’s body language and scent. This can still be experienced through a separation grid etc.

Will you be trying to pair them each with another piggy, or keeping to just the two?
 
Siikibam said:
If you are going to separate them permanently, then they need to be able to live alongside each other. Interaction is about more than just seeing. There’s body language and scent. This can still be experienced through a separation grid etc.

Will you be trying to pair them each with another piggy, or keeping to just the two?
Click to expand...


They have been seperated permanently now and both seem much happier. They still see each other but can't live together. I don't have the grid cage, i have two seperate cages.

Won't be pairing them as not risking the same thing happening. Also have a baby on the way so isn't an option to get more guinea pigs!
They get plenty of attention from myself and partner and my daughter always has them out.

It is a shame they dont get along but these things can't be helped. Would rather they are as they are now and happy than fighting and miserable.
 
As long as they can still interact with each other through the bars, then that will stave off loneliness.

Purely for information just because they fell out with each other, it doesn’t mean that they will fall out with another piggy. Character compatibility is key, so if you date them at a rescue centre, they will find a character compatible friend each and then there won’t be any further falling outs. Fall outs happen most often due to the fact that two piggies were just put together with no regard for their characters (most common in breeder bought or pet shop bought piggies) whereas rescue adopted or rescue dated means they’ve been put together because they are compatible. (It doesn’t mean to say that there can’t be issues there, because falls outs can still happen but it is less likely because they are character compatible)
 
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Piggies&buns said:
As long as they can still interact with each other through the bars, then that will stave off loneliness.

Purely for information just because they fell out with each other, it doesn’t mean that they will fall out with another piggy. Character compatibility is key, so if you date them at a rescue centre, they will find a character compatible friend each and then there won’t be any further falling outs. Fall outs happen most often due to the fact that two piggies were just put together with no regard for their characters (most common in breeder bought or pet shop bought piggies) whereas rescue adopted or rescue dated means they’ve been put together because they are compatible. (It doesn’t mean to say that there can’t be issues there, because falls outs can still happen but it is less likely because they are character compatible)
Click to expand...

The two I have are definitely not compatible. I adopted them as their previous owner gave them up as their children became bored of them. They were both very scared and didn't like being handled when I got them but they are so different now. They enjoy being handled. No longer run away when you go to their cage, instead they run up to the cage squeaking.

It's not nice that they are just put together without any consideration as to whether they will get on with the guinea they are with. Think because mine are brothers the breeder will just have thought yes will be fine and more than likely didn't care. I also think pet shops are the same. It worries me as there must be so many paired guineas out there who eventually clash and have to be seperated but I know not all owners will be willing to spend the money on a seperate cage etc and will more than likely leave them of give them up.

The issue I have with mine now is they don't even like being closer to one another in the cages the dominant one goes crazy and starts to chatter. Where as the submissive one freezes.
 
Guinea pigs won’t necessarily cuddle with each other - another myth that needs dispelling. Just because they’re not cuddling doesn’t mean they don’t get on. Yours weren’t character compatible but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a piggy out there for them.
Being brothers or related doesn’t mean they will be together for life.

I think you would find that the majority of pairs don’t fall out. It can happen but I don’t think it’s as common as you would think.
 
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