We are getting Bonnies sister!

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Amysmom

Amysmom

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Hi all,

After the HUGE debate we had about Bonnie being on her own i couldnt get your comments (altho rather harsh!) out of my mine so i rang the lady we had our lovely teddy Bonnie from and we are having her sister. The lady was SO happy as it means she will keep the last one with her mom:-)

I have an area in my dining room for the cage which we are extending. They will just be in for the winter.

I'm feeling sooooo excited as Amy doesnt know of this so when she gets home today she will have a big suprise!

We are fetching her before lunch:-)
 
Well done. I'm sure Amy will be thrilled!

It's definately worth it and I'm sure you'll love watching teh two of them grow up. If she's as pretty as Bonnie you will have a gorgeous pair.

All the best for the cage extension!
 
Oh that's wonderful! Lucky Amy 2 cuddly Teddy babies lol! :))

Bonnie will be so much happier with a little playmate, & I am sure Amy will get used to any noises they make. There is much less chance of Bonnie squeaking for company if she has a little friend. Don't forget we want pigtures later we love floofy piggies :))
 
Wonderful news indeed! :))

You will be amazed at the change in Bonnie - and the joy in Amy! Witnessing the enormous difference for yourself, you will hopefully understand why members on here have been quite harsh.

Enjoy all the fun two youngsters can get up to; those precious few months fly by only too quickly! Please take plenty of pictures, if you can - they will become precious and cherished mamories later on.

Best of luck with the extension!
 
This is wonderful news - I'm so excited for you, Amy, Bonnie & her sister!

I'm sure Bonnie will be thrilled to see her sister again and you'll have such fun watching the two of them growing up and playing together.

What a wonderful surprise for Amy!

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on and please post some photos xx

ps - please ask if you need any advice with housing/cage extensions or anything else.
 
Thats great news! the one who I'm sure will appreciate it the most is Bonnie herself, trust me you won't regret it as seeing pigs interact and play together is the best thing :)
 
Hiya, Thank you for all your lovely messages.
We've called her Lottie.

But we're a bit concerned as they don't seem to be getting on. When they go near each other, e.g. in their sack, they'll start making really loud noises and lifting up their chins to show their teeth. What do we do?
 
What wonderful news and a happy surprise too! :)) x)
 
Lottie is a lovely name!

Right now they are sorting out who's boss! That is very normal for guinea pigs and has nothing to do with how much they will love each other later on, just with who will be leader and who will the follower.

Make sure that you have got a second hidey for the night (if necessary, a towel pegged to the bars will do). One of the typical things a top piggy will do at first is staking its claim to the best places and the best food; later on, they can snuggle quite happily, so don't be worried!

Here is more about sow behaviour: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38561
 
Did you clean out bonnies cage so there were no previous smells and introduce them on seperate neutral territory? This is essential so that when you put them in the cage there is nothing there for bonnie to try and 'take charge of' and 'own' and this way everything is new to them both.

This kind of behaviour will be completely normal, its typical dominance behaviour. It will range from chin lifting to rumble strutting, to chasing, teeth chattering and even some mild nipping in some cases. It can look worse than it is but remember this is entriely natural for them, they need to work out who is boss for the forseeable future. It's generally more worrying for us than them! they're just doing what comes naturally, trying to stake their claim on the best bed, food etc. Do ensure each pig has its own hidey or place to sleep i just use empty boxes with a whole cut out either end, it gives them somewhere they can have their own space. I have 4 boars, 2 seperate pairs and 1 pair started lunging at each other and very loud teeth chattering, it freaked me out so I seperated for a few days but the best advice I was given, from the rescue they came from was to only seperate if there is bloodshed, it can look bad to us but unless they draw blood you need to stay committed to the set up and let them work through it. For boars their hormal stages lasts anything from the age of three months up to 15 months then it subsides, I'm not sure if this is similar or not in girls but they will still establish their heirachy one way or another so as mentioned, do let them get on with it.

Hope that helps!:)
 
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It's normal rolleyes don't worry! Just do as the others suggest, one of mine was trying to be top pig but the adult one was horrible to her for a few days, but I felt awful about leaving them to get on with it :( Make sure there are two bowls, two hideys etc & only intervene if blood is drawn, which is rare with sows. Mine nipped each other's mouths a little & even hissed at each other, something I've never heard, but within 2-3 days they settled completely & now Mummy piggy tolerates the teen piggle really well. Good luck :))
 
We cleaned the cage etc. But we just thought as they are sisters and have only been separated for 4 days there wouldn't be a problem. It seems to be the new guinea pig causing the trouble!
 
Unfortunatly as your older girl has been on her own and settled in, she will have to get used to having a friend again! As said above it can look very scary, but if they are not drawing blood please dont seperate (if you do, then when you eventually reintroduce they will have to start deciding whos boss is all over again! :)) )
 
Amysguineapigs said:
They're are both 7 weeks old, and Bonnie's only lived on her own for 4 days!
Click to expand...

Another tip you could try is to get some Vick's Vapourub & just put a teeny bit on each of their rumps (the bit on their lower back just above the grease gland) & a teeny bit just above their nose, on the fur. This will make them both "smell " the same. Don't use anything other than Vick's though.

http://www.vicks.com/products/vapo-family/vaporub-topical-ointment/

If they do actually fight (as in rolling around on the floor locked together) then only separate by using a towel or tea towel, gently dropped over them, don't put your hands in :)
 
Sorry, i did not mean older as in age, but older as in youve had her longer. Not very clear! Doh.

Even if she hasnt been alone for long she will have still claimed the house as her own and will need a little while to adjust.
 
My sister had exactly the same thing. She got a baby guinea to live on its own, then (after a bit of persuasion ;)) she went back a week later to get her sister.

Even though they'd only been separated a week, there was still the usual, "I'm the boss" "No, I'M the boss" etc etc.

Anyway, they sorted it all out but it was the one that came second that is most definitly the boss. You would have thought the one that got there first would be, but apparently not :))
 
Congrats Amy, looking forward to pigtures of them.
 
The vicks thing works a treat by the way :))
Just the normal vapor rub stuff.

This can also happen later down the line, the slightest thing sets mine off, if i move the food bowls they don't like it, they like to eat side by side just not out of the same bowl lol rolleyes

It's just an 'animal thing'
 
Talking of smells, I introduced a baby girl in with my older sows a few months ago. There was all sorts of commotion (no fighting but lots of chasing, loud noises and a bit of humping etc).

After a while, one of the older girls 'sprayed' the baby in the face - not very nice but after that everything calmed right down. The baby didn't seem bothered by it and as soon as she smelled like them, they were fine with her. Bit gross though :)>>>

How are things with Bonnie and her sister now - have they calmed down a little?
 
The dominance is still going on ...But should dominance turn into bullying? We've been keeping a close eye, and just watched them both for about 15 minutes. Everytime Bonnie goes to have a drink, eat etc, Lottie will chase her and Bonnie would get very vocal. They have two of each things, so not sharing! But it looks so sad, as Bonnie can't seem to do anything or go anywhere because Lottie wants everything.
 
can you do some floor time with them? when they are both out of the territory they are trying to claim? give them some extra special nibbles then too, side by side if you can x
 
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