Bonding

[Kimberley mcgregor]

I have recently adopted a 3/4 year old female piggy to accompany my 4 year old piggy after her sister passed away! On initial meeting all seemed well however today any time my pre existing piggy goes near the new piggy she is shrieking at the top of her voice any help as to why this is as my pre existing piggy isn’t being violent she is just near her?

 

[Piggies&buns]

This sounds like submission. She may just be accepting that the other piggy is the dominant and letting the other piggy know that she accepts her dominance.

 

[Kimberley mcgregor]

This sounds like submission. She may just be accepting that the other piggy is the dominant and letting the other piggy know that she accepts her dominance.

I thought that too however it keeps going every time and she doesn’t stop until my pre existing piggy leaves her alone? Should I keep them together?

 

[Wiebke]

I have recently adopted a 3/4 year old female piggy to accompany my 4 year old piggy after her sister passed away! On initial meeting all seemed well however today any time my pre existing piggy goes near the new piggy she is shrieking at the top of her voice any help as to why this is as my pre existing piggy isn’t being violent she is just near her?

It sounds like submission squeaking to me, which is a highly effective 'Don't be mean to me; I am no rival of yours'.
Please be aware that there is a ca. two weeks post-intro dominance stage during which the fine print of the group hierarchy and the relationship is worked out. Please sit it out.

You may want to read these guide links here for more in-depth information on the bonding process and especially on dominance behaviours:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts) (has a chapter on sow dominance)

 

[Kimberley mcgregor]

It sounds like submission squeaking to me, which is a highly effective 'Don't be mean to me; I am no rival of yours'.
Please be aware that there is a ca. two weeks post-intro dominance stage during which the fine print of the group hierarchy and the relationship is worked out. Please sit it out.

You may want to read these guide links here for more in-depth information on the bonding process and especially on dominance behaviours:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts) (has a chapter on sow dominance)

That’s great thank you. I will defo have a good read x

 

[Kimberley mcgregor]

It sounds like submission squeaking to me, which is a highly effective 'Don't be mean to me; I am no rival of yours'.
Please be aware that there is a ca. two weeks post-intro dominance stage during which the fine print of the group hierarchy and the relationship is worked out. Please sit it out.

You may want to read these guide links here for more in-depth information on the bonding process and especially on dominance behaviours:
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts) (has a chapter on sow dominance)

So we are trying to let nature take its course however this squeaking keeps going on and we tried them in a cage together and my piggy Daisy the brown one kept lunging at the new piggy every time she moved however when in a room the lunging stops! When the new piggy is shreiking my piggy is going to her as if concerned but sometimes starts chattering her teeth? I jsut don’t know if I should leave it or call it quits I have tried to up load a video however it says it’s too large

 

[Siikibam]

If you want to share a video you need to upload it somewhere like YouTube or Vimeo then post the link here.

When you put them in the cage had you thoroughly cleaned it, changed bedding and rearranged? Whose cage was it before the bonding? Do you have two of everything? Have a read of the guide below and see where your piggie’s behaviour sits.
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

 

[Kimberley mcgregor]

If you want to share a video you need to upload it somewhere like YouTube or Vimeo then post the link here.

When you put them in the cage had you thoroughly cleaned it, changed bedding and rearranged? Whose cage was it before the bonding? Do you have two of everything? Have a read of the guide below and see where your piggie’s behaviour sits.
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

Hi, it was my pre existing guinea pigs cage as I cannot afford to buy a new one however all bedding washed & rearranged & yes 2 of everything

 

[Siikibam]

Did you wipe down the cage to be sure there’s no smell? And how big is it?

 

[Kimberley mcgregor]

Did you wipe down the cage to be sure there’s no smell? And how big is it?

Yes cage was washed with guinea pig approved detergent and it’s 120cm long so largest cage possible

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes cage was washed with guinea pig approved detergent and it’s 120cm long so largest cage possible

a 120cm x 60cm cage is the smallest cage two sows should be kept in. It’s fine, it meets minimum requirements but if they have space related issues then they might need a new and bigger cage (there are a couple of commercial cages which are bigger than the 120 or a c&c which can be made as big as you want!)