HELP! My girls arent getting along! :-(

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Pink Jumper

Pink Jumper

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I have 2 girls about 5-6 months old, have had them since December 2011. I bought them together and they have lived happily ever since in the same cage.

But I came home from work today to find the one is bullying the other. They have never behaved like this before! Is this normal, will she stop behaving this way?

I havent seen my poor girl eat or drink anything since I have been home and she's just sitting in the corner constantly..until she is being chased by my other girl.

I have their run attached at the moment, so not in limited space together if they dont want to be.

Help please :-(
 
I'm sure more experienced members will be able to help you.

My similar age girls are jostling for position a bit at the moment. I assume it's hormones and so far nothing serious.

I put 2 veg/pellet bowls in so bully can't be in 2 places at once and the food gets evenly shared as i'd noticed the dominant sow was hogging all the veg.
 
Thanks for your advice :-)

There are two bowls there, poor girl wont even go near the cage, she is on the other side of the run. I have move the one bowl over by her.

I don't know whether to keep them separate over night?
 
If the "bullying" is coming out of the blue, it is most likely that one of the girls is having a strong season; no need to panic! You should see this behaviour subside again within a couple of days. The rumbling may last a bit longer, but that is only very mild dominance behaviour.

Here is more about sow behaviour: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38561
 
Thank you very much!

So from reading that I should not be keeping them separate, is this right?

I have them separate at the moment and the one being bullied is happily eating now.

If you advise that I put them back together, I may leave them for a little bit longer so she gets enough to eat and then put her back.
 
I would take the bully out for a bit of lap time & meanwhile give the little scared one some extra food then. Try not to separate them by different cages etc unless they physically fight & blood is drawn. If the bully is chasing & mounting the other one that is normal sow behaviour whilst she is in heat. You are certain they are both girls I guess?
 
Thanks.

Yes I am almost positive. There have been no babies as yet after almost 4 months of living in the same cage plus living in the same cage at the pet shop.

Also, to update you guys, I have found a clump of fur in the cage belonging to the bullied pig since putting her back in :-(
 
Oh no sounds like your girls aren't getting on very well at all :/

You could try to do side by side living for a while, maybe separate for a few days then introduce again ?
I'm sorry I'm not much help as i've always had boars!
 
If your not sure, your welcome to post pictures of their "bits" for us to look at, but this isnt especially odd behaviour for sows :)
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I have learned a little bit more now. Hopefully things will settle soon.

I have put two bowls in separate places and made another little den area with a cereal box so they dont have to sleep together if they dont want to :)
 
Dont seperate just if a few bits of fur have been pulled out, it happens from time to time with tiffs, only seperate if blood has been drawn. Obviously you have them in the run and they have more space, but just to add the more space your girls have the better and more likely they are to get on, 120cm by 60cm is the minimal space recommended for two piggies. Girls can sometimes proove difficult, but as Wiebke has said, sometimes a strong season can cause upset, it certainly does in my herd of sows, they may also be going through some teenagehood, which can cause some tiffs to happen while they sort out top pig. Should die down soon enough.

x
 
Especially at the 'adolescent age' I would wonder if the 'bully' is in heat. Typically this only lasts a few days, but they can be quite a pain in the rear to the other pig during this time!
 
Wiebke said:
If the "bullying" is coming out of the blue, it is most likely that one of the girls is having a strong season; no need to panic! You should see this behaviour subside again within a couple of days. The rumbling may last a bit longer, but that is only very mild dominance behaviour.

Here is more about sow behaviour: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38561
Click to expand...

I have experienced exactly what Wiebke describes here and also panicked the first time. I can't say my girls are exactly the best of friends usually but the Alpha female also has the odd spurt of this every so often that only lasts 2 days. Its bullying but it isn't outright fighting and then they settle down again. I make sure that there is 2 of everything because she can't be in 2 places at once. When its veggie time i put 2 bowls at opposite ends of the cage to make sure that it can be shared equally etc etc....
 
Thanks all!

Just to update you all -

My piggies are absolutely fine now :(|)

She obviously was just a bit hormonal. There is no squabbling going on now.

I just hadnt seen them behave this way before, so shocked me a bit.

Thanks again everyone for your help :)

xx
 
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