Normal mounting behavior?

[aspiring_dino]

Whats normal mounting behavior? When do I separate my pigs?

So for context I have 2 boys, 1 just over a year and the other about 8 months. Got them from a girl who sounds like she irresponsibly breeds them. She had 4 boys together in one of those green canvas bottom cages that are popular. She said she couldn’t take care of all 4 anymore & said that the two she gave us were a good pair together. Since we got them the older boy has been very shy & skittish but slightly food aggressive. This didn’t surprise us as it didn’t seem they lived well in their old house, possibly survival of the fittest essentially. The younger one is talkative, a lil playful, loves being scratched. We have them now in a 2x5 cage w/ fleece bedding we have 2 of everything (the second hay holder & hide out are delayed so box as temp hideout & baggie w/ hay temporarily)

However, when they were in their playpen tonight as I was cleaning them the older one started to mount the younger. The younger seemed upset so I separated them until I was done cleaning. When they got back in their cage it started again and them going back and forth between running from each other to mounting has been going on all night. They’ll take short breaks but then the older one keeps trying to mount the younger one and I don’t think the younger one likes it.

I don’t know if this is about dominance or about the food or if we were lied to & they’re not actually a good pair. Is this behavior & for this long normal? They’re not drawing blood or anything so do I let them work it out on their own unless they draw blood?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes, let the work it out unless there is a fight.
Please don’t separate them while cleaning etc as you interrupt them and can just cause them to do it more when they go back together again.

They are both still teenagers so there are a lot of hormones.

How long have you had them?

If they have only just gone together as a pair, then they will be trying to sort out their relationship as a pair. They will not necessarily be a bonded pair when you got them as such id they had another two in the same cage with them.
Also, any change in environment will cause them to reestablish their relationship, so if you haven’t had them long then they will be in that period. Therefore some mounting is entirely normal while they do this.
Equally, boars will mount a certain amount throughout their entire lives.

Changing all their bedding in one can also cause this. It’s best to keep some soiled bedding in their cage and only clean out half at a time. That way the cage will still smell of them and they will still recognise it as their own territory.

Ensure all hides have two doors So no piggy can get trapped inside it by the other piggy. This is where defensive fights can occur if one piggy feels cornered.
Always ensure two of every item. I would simply throw loose piles of hay in on the floor rather than use hay racks or bags as if they are establishing themselves, you want both piggies to be able to have free access to hay at all times and not risk one piggy seeing it as their own and refusing to let the other piggy eat.
The same with pellets and veg - it can be best wheh you’ve got one very dominant piggy, to not use food bowls at all. Simply throw veg and pellets in loose all around the cage. That way, both piggies can get access and the dominant cannot food hog.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonds In Trouble

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

Teenagers and young adult boars can suffer from intense spikes of testosterone.

They should generally settle down again within a couple of days. Don't separate unless humped boy has had enough and they are getting into fights with teeth chattering, lunging and serious scuffles etc. If necessary, put a divider into the cage for 2 days and then reintroduce the boys outside (bathtub or shower floor with a towel will do as easy to clean).

Please take the time to read our information links. They contain all the information and practical detailed how-to tips.

 

[aspiring_dino]

Hi and welcome

Teenagers and young adult boars can suffer from intense spikes of testosterone.

They should generally settle down again within a couple of days. Don't separate unless humped boy has had enough and they are getting into fights with teeth chattering, lunging and serious scuffles etc. If necessary, put a divider into the cage for 2 days and then reintroduce the boys outside (bathtub or shower floor with a towel will do as easy to clean).

Please take the time to read our information links. They contain all the information and practical detailed how-to tips.

Thank you for this! There is some teeth chattering from the one getting mounted but no serious fighting. This is all good to know though as I wasn’t sure how long is normal since it had been going on all night. Thanks!

 

[aspiring_dino]

Yes, let the work it out unless there is a fight.
Please don’t separate them while cleaning etc as you interrupt them and can just cause them to do it more when they go back together again.

They are both still teenagers so there are a lot of hormones.

How long have you had them?

If they have only just gone together as a pair, then they will be trying to sort out their relationship as a pair. They will not necessarily be a bonded pair when you got them as such id they had another two in the same cage with them.
Also, any change in environment will cause them to reestablish their relationship, so if you haven’t had them long then they will be in that period. Therefore some mounting is entirely normal while they do this.
Equally, boars will mount a certain amount throughout their entire lives.

Changing all their bedding in one can also cause this. It’s best to keep some soiled bedding in their cage and only clean out half at a time. That way the cage will still smell of them and they will still recognise it as their own territory.

Ensure all hides have two doors So no piggy can get trapped inside it by the other piggy. This is where defensive fights can occur if one piggy feels cornered.
Always ensure two of every item. I would simply throw loose piles of hay in on the floor rather than use hay racks or bags as if they are establishing themselves, you want both piggies to be able to have free access to hay at all times and not risk one piggy seeing it as their own and refusing to let the other piggy eat.
The same with pellets and veg - it can be best wheh you’ve got one very dominant piggy, to not use food bowls at all. Simply throw veg and pellets in loose all around the cage. That way, both piggies can get access and the dominant cannot food hog.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Bonds In Trouble

Okay thank you! Yea when I separated them I realized the one trying to mount had gotten more frustrated it seemed so we haven’t separated them again since.

We’re going on a week of having them.
The two we have were together with 2 other boys in their old house so this is their first time just them two together. Which we figured explained the food aggression but wasn’t sure if this was also why they might be trying to refigure out who is going to be dominant.

We’ve been using an old amazon box and some plain paper lunch type bags to make sure theres at least two areas of hay besides the hay holder but I didn’t know about the hides needing two exits! This would explain a lot about their behavior. We usually do just put the veg in a couple different piles around the cage but we’ve found for the pellets the bowls work well. We think their old house everything was on the floor of their cage and wasn’t cleaned enough so they probably had to fight for food a lot. The bowls usually one will start eating & will get kicked off the bowl by the other then go to the other bowl and then all will be fine. They really like putting their little feet on the edges of the bowl and they’re def overweight and have gained weight in the week we’ve had them but again we think this is because they had to fight for food and don’t realize they have plenty now so the bowls helps them find it almost I think? If that makes sense they don’t eat it nearly as quickly as they did when we just put it on the floor because they know its there.