Unusual pig

Guinea pig love123

Guinea pig love123

Junior Guinea Pig
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One of my guinea pigs Gary has recently been going up his ramp alot he shares his enclosure with Jon and it's a 5 by 4 the upper level is only 1 by 2 (C&C grids) and he spends periods of around 1 and a half to 2 hours up there and sometimes longer even though the rest of the space is huge for just the two of them and he does it about 4-5 times a day it is abnormal for him but he has not seen the vet for it because he went a week or two ago but I do expect his behaviour of differ as he ages although he is only around 2 so is there some thing wrong with him?
 
Provided they are getting on ok, there are no other signs of illness, their weekly weight checks are not showing anything concerning, then I would think he just likes it up there.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Provided they are getting on ok, there are no other signs of illness, their weekly weight checks are not showing anything concerning, then I would think he just likes it up there.
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Thanks for the help 😊
I think that I always over worry about my pigglets but he does seem fine in himself but they have recently had multiple arguments over the course of three or five days
 
Guinea pig love123 said:
Thanks for the help 😊
I think that I always over worry about my pigglets but he does seem fine in himself but they have recently had multiple arguments over the course of three or five days
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What do you mean by arguments? Just normal dominance, or things more serious than that?
A change in behaviour, suddenly bickering more than normal etc, can be a sign of one of them not feeling well, so a vet check and switching the weekly weight checks to daily weight checks to enable more closer monitoring of hay intake.
 
So far their weights are perfect and stable but it was Jon who was the pig incharge and now I really don't know Gary is doing what the dominant pig would normally do like mounting Jon's head but he also backs down to fights sometimes and he will be arguing then suddenly lie down and let Jon do whatever, sometimes Jon will strangely enough popcorn in the middle of a fight and he is all round really dramatic
 
Best not to use the word fight. Fight means a full on fur ball rolling around situation warranting immediate and permanent separation.
They will know who is dominant. If the dominant is no longer able to maintain his position, then that can be due to an underlying issue, potentially a health issue. Keep an eye on them to ensure they are both well, see a vet for any noticeable change in behaviour
 
Thanks again for your help 😃
Gary, the one who I was worried about he went to the vet about his leg a week or two ago but is perfectly fine now so they would have noticed anything significant then and he acts normal exept the additional arguments and the extra time upstairs
 
Do keep an eye on them. The fact he wants to be in the loft as a single factor wouldn’t concern but when you describe it as ’extra arguments‘ and combine it with being in the loft makes you think potentially isolating himself which would be of concern. Obviously we can only go by your written word and only you can see what is actually happening to be able to assess the situation
 
Piggies&buns said:
Do keep an eye on them. The fact he wants to be in the loft as a single factor wouldn’t concern but when you describe it as ’extra arguments‘ and combine it with being in the loft makes you think potentially isolating himself which would be of concern. Obviously we can only go by your written word and only you can see what is actually happening to be able to assess the situation
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That has made me realize they generally aren't near each other and when they are all I hear is rumbling and teeth chattering, but when I write this for some reason is sounds really bad but is isn't so terrible in real life
 
Guinea pig love123 said:
That has made me realize they generally aren't near each other and when they are all I hear is rumbling and teeth chattering, but when I write this for some reason is sounds really bad but is isn't so terrible in real life
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So they rumble and chatter every time they go near each other and are otherwise choosing to be out of each other’s way?
While rumbling and chattering is a normal dominance behaviour, it shouldn’t be all the time they are together and while my own two boars don’t sleep together etc, they are absolutely fine to be next to each other, share a hay pile etc and live harmoniously. If you’ve got two piggies who rumble at the sight of each other a lot, then I’d be considering whether their bond might not be completely functioning. Again, you’re saying it isn’t as bad as it sounds, so you need to be the one to assess - you’re going to see dominance, but it shouldnt be every time they are in the same space with one choosing to go elsewhere out of the way (if that is how it Is being interpreted).
 
Piggies&buns said:
So they rumble and chatter every time they go near each other and are otherwise choosing to be out of each other’s way?
While rumbling and chattering is a normal dominance behaviour, it shouldn’t be all the time they are together and while my own two boars don’t sleep together etc, they are absolutely fine to be next to each other, share a hay pile etc and live harmoniously. If you’ve got two piggies who rumble at the sight of each other a lot, then I’d be considering whether their bond might not be completely functioning. Again, you’re saying it isn’t as bad as it sounds, so you need to be the one to assess - you’re going to see dominance, but it shouldnt be every time they are in the same space with one choosing to go elsewhere out of the way (if that is how it Is being interpreted).
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To be honest when they are generally near each other it will be upstairs; under the upstairs were there litter trays are; in a small space or in a two entrance hide but neither of them will get out which are all relatively small spaces. They also argue around their food which is to be expected but they do happen to ever be near each other in an open space 🤣
 
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