Are My Piggys Fighting?

[Chloe123]

I bought two 8-10 week male guinea pigs a few days ago. I bought a large cage from pets are home
(picture link bellow)
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/p...g/rabbit-100-guinea-pig-and-dwarf-rabbit-cage

They have recently started fighting, the slightly larger one keeps nipping the other slightly I believe but not enough to actually hurt him, this happens pretty often. I feel as though he may be bullying him as he always squeaks and tries to get away as if he's scared. The one who is hurting the other seems to purr before and after he chases the other.
I tried giving them another food bowl but that hasn't helped at all, I've also ordered another bedding area which should come soon. The bigger one ran around the cage earlier kicking sawdust everywhere and running doing laps around the cage. They also seem to 'hump' or 'mount' each others faces which hurts them and they squeal at eachother. Is this normal behaviour and what could I do to prevent one from bullying the other?

Thanksss! :-)

 

[piggyfan]

Hello. Welcome to the forum. I am sorry to tell you the cage is too small. It needs to be 140 by 60 cm minimum for two boars.

With guinea pigs one is dominant and will assert this by mounting and chasing. The other one will squeal and it sounds worse then it is so please do not worry. These links will teach you all about boar behaviour.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/

You will need to of everything to prevent any squabbles that is hideys, food bowls, water bowls etc.

 

[piggyfan]

Two of everything not to!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

What you are seeing is dominance behaviour as your boys are settling in. A nipping piggy just lets the underpiggy feel its teeth as a display of power, but it is not hurting the other. if you hear any screaming, it is usually submission screaming and very effective at that!

Please think about getting a bigger cage before your two boys hit the teenage hormones at about 4 months old; that is the time when things can start to heat up. @piggyfan has already given you our boar guides. It would be good if each boar had his own bowl, water bottle and hidey, spaced at least a body length apart so the dominant boy cannot get possessive about them. The more space they have to get away from each other and the less articles they can fall out over, the better.

You can find different options for indoors arrangements by looking through our members cages in our housing section and, if wished, can get links to where to get the currently cheapest traditional cages from us - it ain't p@h who sadly still insist on selling overpriced cages below RSPCA recommendations!

 

[madguinealady]

Could you add a run to the cage or maybe add another to it if buying another isn't an option.C&c cages are great and can be done cheaper than an equivalent normal commercial cage.The more space you can give them the more likely hood they can stay together.Good luck

 

[maxdawn]

if your interested I have a 140cm cage and stand from pets @home that I dont use now. As ive made a bigger c&c cage. I would like a small cage for emergencies ie if I have a sick pig. If you can get to me I would be willing to swap cages

 

[KittyandNancy]

if your interested I have a 140cm cage and stand from pets @home that I dont use now. As ive made a bigger c&c cage. I would like a small cage for emergencies ie if I have a sick pig. If you can get to me I would be willing to swap cages

Wow that's so nice of you! I hope they take you up on that offer!

Angela