NewToGuineas2132
New Born Pup
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- May 5, 2019
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Hello everyone! My name is Jessica and I have been a lifelong owner of rodents, specifically hamsters and gerbils! Recently we got the opportunity to rescue a guinea pig that was born with a severe ear infection and despite treatment, now has a permanent tilt to his head. He is a healthy guy and will live a long happy life, just has a slight tilt to his head, which is why we named him TILT! So after having Tilt for a little over a week, he has been doing absolutely great! We were told about another opportunity to rescue another guinea pig with the exact same problem and we couldn't resist! So this one has the exact same slight tilt to his head, therefore we named him TWIZTER!
Here's the problem/question I have since I don't know a lot about Guineas.....
We brought Twizter home and slowly introduced him to Tilt. We put them together in the large play pen we have for them and kept them separated by a wire fencing that way they could see and smell each other before actually getting to be introduced. They were doing fine like this, they were smelling each other and making little noises. Well we decided to remove the fencing and they seemed to be doing okay at first. They were making the small chirping noises that they normally make when they're walking around and smelling each other, sniffing each others butts. As the time went on, Tilt began trying to mount and nudge Twizter a lot more and Twizter was doing okay and sort of nudging him back. All of a sudden Twizter sort of hunched his back and sort of puffed his back out and began loudly chattering at Tilt and tilt sort of became submissive and didn't really move that much after this. Twizter then got very close to Tilt and started chattering very loudly and Tilt backed away and began making soft, screeching noises that i've never heard him do. I interfered and grabbed Tilt out of there and held him for a few minutes as he was shaking in my hands and was still making these noises. Once he calmed down, I placed him back into the play pen and waited to see what happened. Basically, the same thing happened again and Twizter was going after Tilt in the form of chattering and getting very close to him. He never lunged or bit him ever, and I have watched videos of the guinea pigs fighting and neither one of them got up on their hind legs or leaped at one another. They never got into that "furball whirlwind" videos talk about either.
I just don't know if this is normal behavior for two new guinea pigs to display when meeting for the first time or if this is a indication that they will not do well together and we need to keep them seperate?
If anyone is able to help or give some advice, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
Here's the problem/question I have since I don't know a lot about Guineas.....
We brought Twizter home and slowly introduced him to Tilt. We put them together in the large play pen we have for them and kept them separated by a wire fencing that way they could see and smell each other before actually getting to be introduced. They were doing fine like this, they were smelling each other and making little noises. Well we decided to remove the fencing and they seemed to be doing okay at first. They were making the small chirping noises that they normally make when they're walking around and smelling each other, sniffing each others butts. As the time went on, Tilt began trying to mount and nudge Twizter a lot more and Twizter was doing okay and sort of nudging him back. All of a sudden Twizter sort of hunched his back and sort of puffed his back out and began loudly chattering at Tilt and tilt sort of became submissive and didn't really move that much after this. Twizter then got very close to Tilt and started chattering very loudly and Tilt backed away and began making soft, screeching noises that i've never heard him do. I interfered and grabbed Tilt out of there and held him for a few minutes as he was shaking in my hands and was still making these noises. Once he calmed down, I placed him back into the play pen and waited to see what happened. Basically, the same thing happened again and Twizter was going after Tilt in the form of chattering and getting very close to him. He never lunged or bit him ever, and I have watched videos of the guinea pigs fighting and neither one of them got up on their hind legs or leaped at one another. They never got into that "furball whirlwind" videos talk about either.
I just don't know if this is normal behavior for two new guinea pigs to display when meeting for the first time or if this is a indication that they will not do well together and we need to keep them seperate?
If anyone is able to help or give some advice, it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!
and welcome to the forum. With the head tilt are you sure they are both full cleared up if the heads are still slightly tilted on both guinea pigs? I'm not sure but guinea pigs being sick still ( if they are) can affect bonding i think?
