Biting without fighting

[Sbc.0828]

I have two guinea pigs that I bought from the same store in the same cage. They seem to get along perfectly well and have plenty of room in their cage. Sonic is a bit bigger than his cage mate Tails. Recently Tails has started biting at Sonics lip, causing it to bleed. But Sonic is not fighting back at all! I watched him look up as tails nipped at him.. he just stands there and whimpers... I put up a cage divider because I don't know what to do. But they are both sad and missing each other.
What can I do? Please help!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please can you give us a bit more background?

How old are they?
What are the actual measurements of your cage?
Do you have multiple of every item and do all hides have two exits?
Are they in hides when you see the the biting or just out in the cage, is he being cornered by the other?
How long have you had them?

 

[Sbc.0828]

I've had them for about two months. Sonic is 5 months and Tails is 4 months, from what the pet shop told me.
I'll have to check the exact measurements, but I was told it's big enough for four Guinea's to live in.
I have two food bowls and water bottles, but only one hiding hut. They don't even use it all that much.
Both incidents occured in the back corner of the cage where they have been sleeping. And both times Sonic just sat there and cried, but didn't run away or fight back.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They are now both teenagers, so there is a rise in hormones. This can be when problems with compatibility, if there are any are going to come to light. Also, just a rise in hormonal tensions will occur even if they are compatible

Please do check and let us know the cage measurements - rarely are pet shop cages big enough, the biggest commercial is the ferplast plaza 160 which is only big enough for two. Four piggies need a cage of 210x60cm.
Two boars need to be in a cage of 180x60cm. Any less and there can be space related problems and fall outs.

Please do ensure you have two, if not three hides in the cage. Ensure they are all tunnels so no piggy can get cornered inside by the other and always has an exit.
They may not be going into the hide because there aren’t enough at present. If the dominant claims the hide as his own then he won’t let the submissive in, and then the submissive has nowhere to hide.

‘Crying’, could well just be submission squealing. Telling Tails that he knows his place at the bottom of the hierarchy.
You don’t want him to be fighting back - if he does that, then it could well be game over for them.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[weepweeps]

I hope your piggies sort themselves out and stop fighting. I use cardboard boxes with two doors cut in them as hides.