Maggie and Maude are not getting on - any advice?

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I got a new friend for my guinea pig Maude on Monday. They have been getting on ok but are very noisy together lots of high pitched squeaks. Yesterday afternnon I put them out in the run and Maggie ran under a little house in there and Maude following her and started attacking her and what looked like biting her on the head. :(

So I seperated them and last night they spent in different places.

I'm just wondering if there is anything I can do. The rescue I got Maude from said I could take Maggie back and try Madue with another pig but I've got so attached to Maggie,

I don't know what to do :'(
 
In my experience, girls are stubborn and once they have have attacked and been left alone for a while, they may get along fine again then go back to the fighting!

two of my girls, Icey and Tiny, will not share a hutch with other girls, but will happily be fine left in the run with others for about 20 mins to half an hour then they start getting agressive!

Maybe try and pair them up with others if you have space?
 
Could you try giving them both a bath together ? that will usually help to bond piggies.

A good shampooing, splashing noises and in the water and you will find they will huddle up together for moral support. They will both smell the same then, and all the frightening thing of being shampooed etc will help them be friends.

I would certainly try it before taking Maggie back.

Another thing can you switch cages/hutches ? so that the two girls are not going back into the same one where territory has been established. ?

Another thing you could try is to put a neutered male in with the two girls. Then they will both be busy with his attentions so wont have time to bicker!

If I wasnt going away soon, I would gladly lend you one of my boys so you could try this too.

Dont give up yet..please... Try the buddy bonding bathing first, switch hutches etc...and see how it goes. Some times I can take a little while for them to bond. If you keep splitting them then it goes to make it harder for them to acdept each other.

I have paired up many piggies now, and out of all the ones I have done, only one female would not accept another girl, but will happily accept the company of a male.

Deb x
 
thanks for your advice, the last thing i want to do it take Maggie back. I have got SO attached to her (I also named her after a kitten I was fostering who died, perhaps was a bad idea).
I will make the girls a C and C cage tonight nice and big in my spare room. I will also give them a bath together.
I don't have a neutered male pig, I only have 2 who are unneutered, so I can't really try that.
I want them to get on so badly because I'm worried Maude won't get on with anyone and poor Maggie will be confused by everything that is going on

Thanks so much for your advice I'll let you know how i get on
 
thanks for all your advice!

I tried it all. But before I had a chance to Maggie started showing signs she was missing Maude; she stopped eating and Maude seemed really down too. So I split a run in half so they could see each other and they were at the bars chatting. So i tried to reintroduce them and they got on ok. Maude is still nudging Maggie with her nose a lot but I don't think she is biting her. Maggie is a lot better and carries on eating even when Maude is nudging her around.

I also took your advice Debs and gave them a bath together which helped and made them a 6ft c and c cage in my spare bedroom so they have lots of room in case they want to be on their own.

Thank you so much because I really didn't want to take Maggie back x
 
This is fabulous, so glad things are working out ok after all. Hopefully it will continue. So pleased for you, Maggie and Maude that things have settled down!
 
kiraroo said:
I got a new friend for my guinea pig Maude on Monday. They have been getting on ok but are very noisy together lots of high pitched squeaks. Yesterday afternnon I put them out in the run and Maggie ran under a little house in there and Maude following her and started attacking her and what looked like biting her on the head. :(

So I seperated them and last night they spent in different places.
Click to expand...

How long did you leave them together this time then? I feel a bit silly repeating myself over and over again, but just having them together for two hours is hardly enough ::)

Some can take up to a week or longer to find out who is boss now, and nipping and fur being pulled is no reason at all to seperate them. Only if there is actual blood flowing you should seperate them, it looks alot rougher to us then it is for the piggies.

Also, did you take my advice and gave them houses with two entries, so that no piggie can be cornered...?
 
i left them together for 5 days, there is no need to be rude, I've not introduced guinea pigs before and YES I did take your advice and left them together for a week where they had homes so neither could get cornered just as you said.

if you actually read the whole thread they are getting on ok now
 
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