What do i do? Fighting sow's

[4piggiepigs]

I have three sow's who have started to fight, Peanut terrorize's Pepsi so she has gone back to where I got her from to live with my ceasarean recovering piggie for a week (I am adopting her) who is older so it might teach her some manner's! Pepsi still seem's to be getting picked on by Porridge now that Peanut's not there so i'm thinking make two cage's put two in each but Pepsi don't have a friend and Peanut might be ok when she and the other pig come's back and then i can put them all together in a big cage but maybe i should put Pepsi with the new pig (Pepper) and maybe they will bond so Pepsi will have a friend and i heard somewhere they might calm down after 9-12 month's? I can't put the cages next to each other as i don't have space I can only stack them so if they aren't in the same cage they won't be able to see each other I just don't know what to do to keep them all happy, poor Pepsi look's depressed spending all day in her tent just to hide from Peanut and now Porridge is at it.

 

[4piggiepigs]

Anyone?

 

[Wiebke]

Firstly: your sows are NOT fighting! They are simply establishing a new hierarchy.

Porridge is asserting her dominance over Pepsi now that you have taken the top sow out. Totally normal behaviour - as soon as you have more than one guinea pig, you get a hierarchy and that heirarchy needs to be established following a precise protocol which all piggies understand and follow, but which to the uninitiated looks like a lot of bullying.

I would have preferred if you had bonded your bottom sow Pepsi (and have recommended so on your other thread) with your new girl-to-be as this way you would not have upset the existing hierarchy.

You will get a lot more of that when you introduce all girls together as you have been switching the top sow around.

Here is more about sow behaviour:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38561

Tips for introductions:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38562

 

[4piggiepigs]

A couple day's ago Peanut kicked Pepsi in the face and scratched her eye which was bleeding alot she is ok now tho, I know it was because her claw's were sharp so they all got trimmed. The next day i gave them there veggie breakfast and they wouldn't let her in their kitchen she sat under it wheeking and she know's exactly where it is, since the face kicking i have been watching and peanut look's for Pepsi and kick's her out of hidey's and constantly bite's her when peanut goes near her she does that little cry/sobbing noise they are sisters so have been together forever and i have let alot go but pepsi just sat in her tent all day I put food on the bottom so she could eat and she sneaked out got some and hid back in the tent then Peanut come down and started eating her food and she wouldnt come out the tent when peanut walked off she came out and peanut ran at her and nipped her several times on her bum If peanut tries anything with porridge she fight's back and ive only seperated them so i can see how pepsi and porridge get on when they come back I'm hoping to put pepsi with the new one hoping they will bond i just want them all to be happy and have a friend each and i think porridge is the boss as peanut will back down from her