Olivitree
Junior Guinea Pig
Hey there folks, I have a few odd sows, 3 to be exact, I have one who is now sadly alone, her bonded neutered male sadly had to be PTS last week, we're all devastated but I don't want her to necessarily spend too much time alone, she's developing some slightly odd behaviour of constantly sticking her nose through the bars and chewing them in an attempt to get to the other 2 sows, I think she's getting bored and lonely.
Now, for a bit of background. I'll introduce the piggies first
Oxford: 3 or 4 year old Rex widow sow, small cystic ovaries, as yet unsolved hairloss and crusty skin issue, possible phantom pregnancy, barbering her own flanks very recently.
Coco: 1.5 year old Anti social sow, smooth coated, bit greasier than your average sow (hormones?), lots of benign lumps, does not like other piggies, loves people, lives with Pops but don't tend to snuggle up or anything. Nips any pigs that come near her, unusual body language to my eyes when meeting other piggies, doesn't even seem to be curious about who they are just wants them gone.
Pops: 1.5 year old Very quiet and shy sow, doesn't like people, concerned about other pigs, usually bunkers down (literally lays flat) in a corner during introductions to keep out of the way and squeals and complains if any other pig comes close during introductions. Puts up with her cage mate mostly just avoids her.
Coco and Pops were a pair of young rescues I picked up last year because I thought they'd be young enough to integrate with Oxford(sow) and Bandit (Passed on neutered boar)
Not so, Coco was not having ANY of the mounting and it quickly escalated between Coco and Bandit to the brink of an all out fight and tensions were not calming down, I tried a couple of times, as long as I could at a time but no luck. Oxford and Pops at the time just kinda kept out of the way. So everyone remained in their separate pairs.
Now, Coco has always been an oddity, she doesn't get on with other piggies as well as she does with people, people are great, she loves being petted and handled, she'll go all still and soppy when you pet her head. But, if its another guinea pig in her space, she'll nip them instantly, if they don't get the hint, it escalates rapidly. Pops is very shy, quiet, doesn't like people and gives Coco her space, they co exist ok but I wouldn't call them friends
Oxford has had a hair loss problem since we got her, she had mites, we treated them, things seemed ok for a while, then it got worse again in the past month or two, we've been trying to work out what it is, tested for ringworm, treated with a wash, didn't seem to do anything, its patches on her back, bum and a little on her head. currently treating her for mites and fleas just in case she's allergic to the cats fleas (we are treating the cats and house also, it is hell with 4 indoor cats). Her skin is very crusty, it always has been but this is way more, (she's also a Rex or Teddy and may have an allergy to something as she has a perpetually slightly crusty nose that doesn't get effected by antibiotics) and in the last two weeks has been barbering her flanks, possibly due to cystic ovaries or the irritation of whats going on with her skin, her ovaries aren't very large the vet tells me so he'd be surprised if they were the culprit if its discomfort related. She's also had a possible phantom pregnancy for a monthish also, swollen breast tissue with a clear liquid being excreted. Phantom pregancy (if thats what it is) seeeems to be dying down now as only one is swollen and expressing now.
If I can, I'd like to get them all together, but with Cocos weird attitude toward other guinea pigs an Oxfords hormone imbalance I'm feeling like it may not work.
I did try them today but tensions were just absurdly high, Oxford chased Pops around like she was the randiest boar in the universe (part of phantom pregnancy, or is she in season also?), Pops put up with it very well, she did get annoyed and nip and shove Oxford to stop but nothing made me worried there, just seemed like "would you STOP!" kind of behaviour. However, Coco was handing out all the aggressive and threatening body language (big hackles, walking around tall, squaring off, nipping, chasing, lunging), I know this may have been dominance displays going on and they look bad to me when its just normal to them, but Oxford was starting to look scared and trapped as Coco kept cornering her and blocking her off as much as she could with her body, It looked ripe for someone to get their face bitten badly.
So, I separated them, I thought I'd come ask for advice here and work on getting a no-corners meeting place together for them and maybe another vet check if you guys think sorting Oxfords ovaries out might be a worth while step now. Or if this is just not destined to be, should I just look for another pal for Oxford and hope that it isn't Pops who dies first (horrid to say I know, but Coco would be awful to try and find another friend for if she gets left alone I think.)
IDEALLY I don't want to keep expanding the number of guinea pigs I have, 3 or 4 in one large cage was the ultimate goal.
How should I go forward with this do you think, should I have it so they have a space they can see each other through? Get Oxfords cystic ovaries dealt with or are they not likely an issue here? Wait a month to see if everyones hormones chill out?
Thanks very much.
Now, for a bit of background. I'll introduce the piggies first
Oxford: 3 or 4 year old Rex widow sow, small cystic ovaries, as yet unsolved hairloss and crusty skin issue, possible phantom pregnancy, barbering her own flanks very recently.
Coco: 1.5 year old Anti social sow, smooth coated, bit greasier than your average sow (hormones?), lots of benign lumps, does not like other piggies, loves people, lives with Pops but don't tend to snuggle up or anything. Nips any pigs that come near her, unusual body language to my eyes when meeting other piggies, doesn't even seem to be curious about who they are just wants them gone.
Pops: 1.5 year old Very quiet and shy sow, doesn't like people, concerned about other pigs, usually bunkers down (literally lays flat) in a corner during introductions to keep out of the way and squeals and complains if any other pig comes close during introductions. Puts up with her cage mate mostly just avoids her.
Coco and Pops were a pair of young rescues I picked up last year because I thought they'd be young enough to integrate with Oxford(sow) and Bandit (Passed on neutered boar)
Not so, Coco was not having ANY of the mounting and it quickly escalated between Coco and Bandit to the brink of an all out fight and tensions were not calming down, I tried a couple of times, as long as I could at a time but no luck. Oxford and Pops at the time just kinda kept out of the way. So everyone remained in their separate pairs.
Now, Coco has always been an oddity, she doesn't get on with other piggies as well as she does with people, people are great, she loves being petted and handled, she'll go all still and soppy when you pet her head. But, if its another guinea pig in her space, she'll nip them instantly, if they don't get the hint, it escalates rapidly. Pops is very shy, quiet, doesn't like people and gives Coco her space, they co exist ok but I wouldn't call them friends
Oxford has had a hair loss problem since we got her, she had mites, we treated them, things seemed ok for a while, then it got worse again in the past month or two, we've been trying to work out what it is, tested for ringworm, treated with a wash, didn't seem to do anything, its patches on her back, bum and a little on her head. currently treating her for mites and fleas just in case she's allergic to the cats fleas (we are treating the cats and house also, it is hell with 4 indoor cats). Her skin is very crusty, it always has been but this is way more, (she's also a Rex or Teddy and may have an allergy to something as she has a perpetually slightly crusty nose that doesn't get effected by antibiotics) and in the last two weeks has been barbering her flanks, possibly due to cystic ovaries or the irritation of whats going on with her skin, her ovaries aren't very large the vet tells me so he'd be surprised if they were the culprit if its discomfort related. She's also had a possible phantom pregnancy for a monthish also, swollen breast tissue with a clear liquid being excreted. Phantom pregancy (if thats what it is) seeeems to be dying down now as only one is swollen and expressing now.
If I can, I'd like to get them all together, but with Cocos weird attitude toward other guinea pigs an Oxfords hormone imbalance I'm feeling like it may not work.
I did try them today but tensions were just absurdly high, Oxford chased Pops around like she was the randiest boar in the universe (part of phantom pregnancy, or is she in season also?), Pops put up with it very well, she did get annoyed and nip and shove Oxford to stop but nothing made me worried there, just seemed like "would you STOP!" kind of behaviour. However, Coco was handing out all the aggressive and threatening body language (big hackles, walking around tall, squaring off, nipping, chasing, lunging), I know this may have been dominance displays going on and they look bad to me when its just normal to them, but Oxford was starting to look scared and trapped as Coco kept cornering her and blocking her off as much as she could with her body, It looked ripe for someone to get their face bitten badly.
So, I separated them, I thought I'd come ask for advice here and work on getting a no-corners meeting place together for them and maybe another vet check if you guys think sorting Oxfords ovaries out might be a worth while step now. Or if this is just not destined to be, should I just look for another pal for Oxford and hope that it isn't Pops who dies first (horrid to say I know, but Coco would be awful to try and find another friend for if she gets left alone I think.)
IDEALLY I don't want to keep expanding the number of guinea pigs I have, 3 or 4 in one large cage was the ultimate goal.
How should I go forward with this do you think, should I have it so they have a space they can see each other through? Get Oxfords cystic ovaries dealt with or are they not likely an issue here? Wait a month to see if everyones hormones chill out?
Thanks very much.
