Should I seperate them?

[Helena001]

Last month I got a new guinea pig sow to accompany my other guinea pig (female), after my other guinea pig died.
I tried my best at bonding and introducing them (separated food piles, multiple hide-outs, a neutral, large area). I read that chasing and dominance fighting was normal at first, but it has been almost 4 weeks and it still hasn't stopped. The new guinea pig still keeps chasing my other one, biting and attacking it, I even noticed bite marks on her ears and strings of pulled out fur in the cage. Another thing is that only the new guinea pig acts aggressively towards my other guinea pig, which doesn't ever fight back etc.
Is this normal/just dominance fighting or should I separate them and find a more mild tempered guinea pig?

 

[Nick G]

Hi Helena, I'm sure on of our more experienced member will be on to offer good advice @Wiebke

 

[Wiebke]

Last month I got a new guinea pig sow to accompany my other guinea pig (female), after my other guinea pig died.
I tried my best at bonding and introducing them (separated food piles, multiple hide-outs, a neutral, large area). I read that chasing and dominance fighting was normal at first, but it has been almost 4 weeks and it still hasn't stopped. The new guinea pig still keeps chasing my other one, biting and attacking it, I even noticed bite marks on her ears and strings of pulled out fur in the cage. Another thing is that only the new guinea pig acts aggressively towards my other guinea pig, which doesn't ever fight back etc.
Is this normal/just dominance fighting or should I separate them and find a more mild tempered guinea pig?

Hi! No, it doesn't sound right when it comes to fur pulling and ear biting. Please split the cage and put a divider in. Then see whether your bereaved piggy is perking up immediately. If yes, it means that she is not happy in her new relationship and that bonding has not worked. By far not all bondings are successful as you can only facilitate it, but in the end it is about whether the piggies like each other and get on.
Your new piggy sounds very much on the fear-aggressive side and may be happier with having her own space while still getting stimulation through the bars.
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

 

[Helena001]

Hi! No, it doesn't sound right when it comes to fur pulling and ear biting. Please split the cage and put a divider in. Then see whether your bereaved piggy is perking up immediately. If yes, it means that she is not happy in her new relationship and that bonding has not worked. By far not all bondings are successful as you can only facilitate it, but in the end it is about whether the piggies like each other and get on.
Your new piggy sounds very much on the fear-aggressive side and may be happier with having her own space while still getting stimulation through the bars.
Bonds In Trouble
Bonding: Illustrated Dominance Behaviours And Dynamics

Thank you really much for your advise. I separated them for a while and well, they seem to have calmed down. When I put the two of them out, they seemed to be more friendly with each other. They ate a few leaves close together and even licked each other. (Although they still purred(?) at each other from time to time.
And I have to mention that my older guinea pig didn't seem to be suffering because of this. She was eating and sleeping fine, her behaviour towards me was the same and she was generally not different than before.
Could that maybe mean that not everything is lost? I really don't like the thought of having to separate them permanently.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you really much for your advise. I separated them for a while and well, they seem to have calmed down. When I put the two of them out, they seemed to be more friendly with each other. They ate a few leaves close together and even licked each other. (Although they still purred(?) at each other from time to time.
And I have to mention that my older guinea pig didn't seem to be suffering because of this. She was eating and sleeping fine, her behaviour towards me was the same and she was generally not different than before.
Could that maybe mean that not everything is lost? I really don't like the thought of having to separate them permanently.

It sounds promising. Please be aware that piggies do not do playtime. For them every meeting is a bonding session. The rumblestrutting means that they have moved from kissing (i.e. I love you and want to be with you) into the dominance phase in the process of re-establishing their bond; it is mild dominance.

To be honest, it sounds very encouraging.