Hello. My friend gave me (dumped) her 2 female piggies and i decided to try to bond them with my special needs girl as she is alone. I had them all together in a play pen for about an hour and they were all getting along and Bumi (special needs piggie) seemed super happy. After i moved them to a cage that none of them have been in before they all started eating hay together and popcorning. One of the new girls after about 45 minutes started chasing and lunging at Bumi and biting her/knocking her over and onto her belly. I did seperate the 2 into a different cage for the night so that i wouldnt be worried. Is there any way to bond them still? Or is it failed? Should i try a single female to bond to Bumi instead? Thank you!
Bonding issues
- Thread starter melton
- Start date
A Guinea Pig
Teenage Guinea Pig
Where they bitting and drawing blood or was is more of a nip to steal food and the other one squeaked? Usually the piggy is not in pain and it is just a dominance behaviour. That’s all I really know.
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
So the cage was also neutral territory meaning they were in neutral territory for 1hr 45 mins before issue started. It can take them several hours to get through the early bonding stages. You keep them in the bonding pen with no hides for several hours, and then move to the cage after they’ve all had a nap. If they wake up from the nap and are all still ok then it’s generally safe to move then to the cage.
Were there any hides in the cage?
How old are all the piggies?
What are Bumi’s special needs? Not that that makes a difference to their ability to bond I’m just wondering if she was being pushed over not because of the others being rough as it were m, but because she isn’t physically able due to her needs to get away fast enough.
When did you get the two new girls?
Did you have them live side by side (in separate cages) with Bumi for a week or so before you tried the neutral territory. Or was it that you got them today and tried to bond today?
Lunging is a defensive behaviour rather than aggressive and I’m just wondering if you only got them today if she is simply scared and unsure. Fear aggression can come out in piggies who are unsure if they’re standing or unsure of their surroundings.
If you got them today and tried to bond today, it might be worth leaving them side by side for a week or so to let everyone settle and get used to scents. Then try neutral territory again for several hours (leaving in the bonding pen all day if needs be) and seeing how they go:
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Were there any hides in the cage?
How old are all the piggies?
What are Bumi’s special needs? Not that that makes a difference to their ability to bond I’m just wondering if she was being pushed over not because of the others being rough as it were m, but because she isn’t physically able due to her needs to get away fast enough.
When did you get the two new girls?
Did you have them live side by side (in separate cages) with Bumi for a week or so before you tried the neutral territory. Or was it that you got them today and tried to bond today?
Lunging is a defensive behaviour rather than aggressive and I’m just wondering if you only got them today if she is simply scared and unsure. Fear aggression can come out in piggies who are unsure if they’re standing or unsure of their surroundings.
If you got them today and tried to bond today, it might be worth leaving them side by side for a week or so to let everyone settle and get used to scents. Then try neutral territory again for several hours (leaving in the bonding pen all day if needs be) and seeing how they go:
Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
They had 2 hides and a tunnel in the cage. The 2 newer ones are about 6-8months old and Bumi is about 5months now. Bumi has a head tilt, she also runs in circles quite a lot. The vet has seen her a few times and think she has past head truma, she treated her for an ear infection to make sure it wasnt caused by an infection. I had the cages side by side for about a week and a half. When she would lunge she would kind of tackle and get ontop of Bumi and pin her down and bite at her, i didnt see any blood when i looked her over after seperating
Mounting and humping is normal during bonding. Nipping is also normal. It is a gesture of power but will not break the skin.
You have to be very careful not to put human emotion into it.
If it is actual deliberate biting then that is not a good sign for their ability to form a relationship.