My baby steels food from his brother.

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

Hi, I'm a newbie guinea pig owner and I have two male babies (between 8-12 weeks). I'm a bit worried because the bigger one is steeling food from the little one (sometimes they eat together), the little one gets a bit annoyed and seems to cry when he steels his food. The weird part is that they often sleep and hide in the same place. I'm worried that my little baby isn't getting enough foood, and that they could get physical (sometimes the bigger one hits the little one with his nose when he's eating and then steals his food, but the little one seems to be submissive). I will upgrade my cage this week to about 1.8 meters long and 60cm wide. Should I separate them or wait until it get really agressive (biting or scratching)?

 

[Siikibam]

Taking food from each others’ mouths is entirely normal. Perhaps hand feed or scatter feed? If he’s putting on weight weekly then he should be absolutely fine. No need to separate yet. Babies (and some piggies) can be more vocal than others My top boar pig always whines a bit when he’s got his food - even when his friend is eating as well and nowhere near him

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

Oops I meant steals, thanks for your answer Siiki. Also I wanted to know if they are already bonded , given the fact that they are sleeping and hiding together?

 

[Piggies&buns]

This is all very normal, there’s no grounds to separate them the all
The fact that the older one has accepted the younger means that the bonding has been successful. It will take them around two weeks to fully establish their relationship though.

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

They always sleep-hide together the bigger one only bullies the smaller one when eating (not always, sometimes they eat together) . But I think that is because the cage is too small 1.2mts - 60cm . But I will upgrade it this week.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Taking food from each other isn’t bullying. What you are describing is normal behaviour.
It’s great you are getting them a bigger cage though, they will really appreciate the extra space. You are still going to see them taking food from each other and normal dominance behaviours though, no matter how much space they have.

Bullying is a specific set of extreme behaviours - including one piggy never being allowed to eat anything so they will lose weight, never being allowed to sleep and rest without being chased and relentlessly humped, and it will cause a piggy to become withdrawn and depressed. These behaviours are beyond normal dominance. This kind of behaviour will ultimately end their relationship.

 

[Wiebke]

An adult wouldn't allow a youngster to learn what is safe to eat by sniffing their mouth and stealing food from his mouth for learning purposes if they hadn't long since accepted the baby. This behaviour is very typical for babies and sub-teenager in the 'school weeks' between weaning and teenage when they learn to master their environment and the finer points of piggy social interaction by shadowing an older piggy that is willing to take them.

What you are decribing is exactly this pupil-guardian/teacher relationship. The group itself takes about 2 weeks to fully establish. It is normal to see dominance behaviour at this stage.

PLEASE do not interfere and let your piggies get on with their lives. It is all very normal, species- and age-specific behaviour that you WANT to see at this stage.

The worst you can do to a baby is to separate them at an age when they are desperate to belong and to have that socialising guidance. The more you intervene in a piggy relationship, the more difficult you make it for them to settle together and the more you contribute to unbalancing to a relationship. Just sit back and feel blessed that all is going as it should!

 

[Panchito & Fisgon's Dad.]

Thank you for your replies, I think the bigger one is about 1 month or less bigger than the baby (both are males). I'm relieved because that is a normal behaviour, I tought that a bit of stealing was bullying but it seems I'm wrong hehe, they had never bitten or scratched each other. The bigger baby just steals the little one hes food and hides it inside their hidey, but when the bigger one is eating the little eats too, and sometimes the bigger one doesn't like that the little one gets too close and he hits him with hes nose.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for your replies, I think the bigger one is about 1 month or less bigger than the baby (both are males). I'm relieved because that is a normal behaviour, I tought that a bit of stealing was bullying but it seems I'm wrong hehe, they had never bitten or scratched each other. The bigger baby just steals the little one hes food and hides it inside their hidey, but when the bigger one is eating the little eats too, and sometimes the bigger one doesn't like that the little one gets too close and he hits him with hes nose.

Try and sprinkle feed around the cage and only have hides with two exits so there is no food hiding.