With an average life span of only around 3 years and a hostile environment, wild guinea pig social life is much more fluid and eventful, whether that is losses, births, regular leadership changes, new boars being accepted or changes to the territory due to climate extremes, infectious illnesses, predation and the waxing and waning of group fortunes and the amount of territory they can claim around their denning areas.
What can trigger a new hierarchy sort-out?
Every major change in personnel or territory means that the group has to re-establish itself with a new hierarchy sort-out from the top down to the bottom. If there are competing claims for leadership or some major unresolved conflicts festering, this is the time when they can come to the fore and can lead to fall-outs even in adult relatives and long term companions. It is both a time for a big crisis if it leads to a split but also an opportunity to start afresh under a clear leader. Because the survival of the group as a whole depends on the group working as a unit, a clear hierarchy is absolutely crucial.
This need for establishing and re-establishing a working hierarchy in the wake of a change is still very much present in our pet piggies; whether that is in the wake of a bonding introduction, after a death or a group split/medical separation or if an under-sow in a pair has had babies and has therefore gained in standing but it also applies to territorial changes from arrival in a new home to any cage extensions or moves or any other big changes to the environment. Teenage boars are the most sensitive to territorial changes (even to cage cleans in the extreme) but it can also affect older pairs, including cystic sows.
On average, the hierarchy sort-out lasts around 2 weeks; it can be much shorter (especially with babies) or last much longer with an insecure new leader who has got the job by default rather than wanting it. It always works downwards through the rungs and starts with the highest ranked piggy that is directly affected by the change. If a leader’s position is not in question, they will stay aloof; and so will any ‘husboar’ if the problem involves the sow hierarchy but not his own standing. The group is only fully established once this process is finished. That is why any bonding is not just a matter of a few hours but actually a much longer process. You will see the biggest dominance always coming from the piggy ranked just above to the one ranked below. In a larger group, this is often the only time you can get an insight in the inner workings.
The hierarchy sort-out is characterised by typical dominance behaviours (carefully judged gestures of powers) and often plenty of submission screaming, which is NOT from pain. It can be very mild in piggies wanting to be with each other and very contested if there is a conflict of interest that cannot be resolved with the fronts hardening as the days go by. In this case, it is usually better to call a bonding off or split a group as the accumulated grudge has a very bad habit of resurfacing again at the worst time possible.
Chinning between Tegan and Hedydd
What can I do to mitigate the impact?
You can ease potential flash points by spreading/rubbing scent-marked bedding or fabrics all over a joined or new/newly extended cage. Provide as many hides with two exits as there are piggies (ideally all the same which cuts down on possessiveness) and by sprinkle-feeding veg and pellets around the cage as well as having water bottles at different ends and ensuring that access to hay (which makes around 75-80% of the daily food intake) cannot be blocked.
The one ‘fail-safe’ bonding trick which I have found does not work is to switch bedding between cages prior to any bonding. It doesn’t make any difference for piggies, who are desperate for companionship but it very much feels like a hostile intrusion for any insecure piggies, fuelling their stress and contributing to a bonding fail right from the outset because acceptance will be denied any perceived hostile invader.
Since hierarchy sort-outs can often trip up new or unsuspecting owners, I hope that this helps you to understand what is going on a bit better.
For the post-intro dominance phase, please see our bonding guide: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Detailed information on dominance and territorial behaviours:
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
What can trigger a new hierarchy sort-out?
Every major change in personnel or territory means that the group has to re-establish itself with a new hierarchy sort-out from the top down to the bottom. If there are competing claims for leadership or some major unresolved conflicts festering, this is the time when they can come to the fore and can lead to fall-outs even in adult relatives and long term companions. It is both a time for a big crisis if it leads to a split but also an opportunity to start afresh under a clear leader. Because the survival of the group as a whole depends on the group working as a unit, a clear hierarchy is absolutely crucial.
This need for establishing and re-establishing a working hierarchy in the wake of a change is still very much present in our pet piggies; whether that is in the wake of a bonding introduction, after a death or a group split/medical separation or if an under-sow in a pair has had babies and has therefore gained in standing but it also applies to territorial changes from arrival in a new home to any cage extensions or moves or any other big changes to the environment. Teenage boars are the most sensitive to territorial changes (even to cage cleans in the extreme) but it can also affect older pairs, including cystic sows.
On average, the hierarchy sort-out lasts around 2 weeks; it can be much shorter (especially with babies) or last much longer with an insecure new leader who has got the job by default rather than wanting it. It always works downwards through the rungs and starts with the highest ranked piggy that is directly affected by the change. If a leader’s position is not in question, they will stay aloof; and so will any ‘husboar’ if the problem involves the sow hierarchy but not his own standing. The group is only fully established once this process is finished. That is why any bonding is not just a matter of a few hours but actually a much longer process. You will see the biggest dominance always coming from the piggy ranked just above to the one ranked below. In a larger group, this is often the only time you can get an insight in the inner workings.
The hierarchy sort-out is characterised by typical dominance behaviours (carefully judged gestures of powers) and often plenty of submission screaming, which is NOT from pain. It can be very mild in piggies wanting to be with each other and very contested if there is a conflict of interest that cannot be resolved with the fronts hardening as the days go by. In this case, it is usually better to call a bonding off or split a group as the accumulated grudge has a very bad habit of resurfacing again at the worst time possible.
Chinning between Tegan and Hedydd
What can I do to mitigate the impact?
You can ease potential flash points by spreading/rubbing scent-marked bedding or fabrics all over a joined or new/newly extended cage. Provide as many hides with two exits as there are piggies (ideally all the same which cuts down on possessiveness) and by sprinkle-feeding veg and pellets around the cage as well as having water bottles at different ends and ensuring that access to hay (which makes around 75-80% of the daily food intake) cannot be blocked.
The one ‘fail-safe’ bonding trick which I have found does not work is to switch bedding between cages prior to any bonding. It doesn’t make any difference for piggies, who are desperate for companionship but it very much feels like a hostile intrusion for any insecure piggies, fuelling their stress and contributing to a bonding fail right from the outset because acceptance will be denied any perceived hostile invader.
Since hierarchy sort-outs can often trip up new or unsuspecting owners, I hope that this helps you to understand what is going on a bit better.
For the post-intro dominance phase, please see our bonding guide: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Detailed information on dominance and territorial behaviours:
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs