Bullying Guinea Pig - Advise Please

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lauralucy

lauralucy

Adult Guinea Pig
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I'm not sure this is the right section so feel free to move.
Following the loss of 3 oldies at the beginning of the year my group of 6 went down to a trio. Dotty who's scared of everything, nelly (boy) and Maria. Dotty didn't like being a trio she seems happier in a group and nelly was starting to show his age (5.5)
In march I rescued two baby girls ruby and Ruth. Dotty seemed a lot happier and nelly was like a teenager.
I noticed a couple of scabs on dotty one behind the ear and one on her back/bum turned into a lump and needed to be popped.
Last week ruby had a scab under her chin which has turned in a lump (abscess) on antibiotics.
I believe Maria is the cause of these nelly also had a scab but didn't turn into a lump.
I have separated Maria into her own part of the cage. She isn't happy but the others have relaxed a bit.
My question is what would you suggest doing with Maria? I don't want a lone piggy but I can't have her bullying every pig.
 
Others have more experience than I do, but As the others are happier without Maria I would look at getting a companion for Maria and keeping her separate from the others with whom she clearly has issues.
 
lauralucy said:
I'm not sure this is the right section so feel free to move.
Following the loss of 3 oldies at the beginning of the year my group of 6 went down to a trio. Dotty who's scared of everything, nelly (boy) and Maria. Dotty didn't like being a trio she seems happier in a group and nelly was starting to show his age (5.5)
In march I rescued two baby girls ruby and Ruth. Dotty seemed a lot happier and nelly was like a teenager.
I noticed a couple of scabs on dotty one behind the ear and one on her back/bum turned into a lump and needed to be popped.
Last week ruby had a scab under her chin which has turned in a lump (abscess) on antibiotics.
I believe Maria is the cause of these nelly also had a scab but didn't turn into a lump.
I have separated Maria into her own part of the cage. She isn't happy but the others have relaxed a bit.
My question is what would you suggest doing with Maria? I don't want a lone piggy but I can't have her bullying every pig.
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I am very sorry about your problems! It can give you nightmares. :(

It doesn't look like any of her mates will be happy with having her back. The best way forward would be dating at a good rescue, so Maria can choose a companion of her choice, preferably one she can dominate.
 
thank you, do you think she will take to a submissive piggy? I'm worried that the babies came home at 6 weeks old and she still bullied them.
i'm in Colchester, Essex do you know of any rescues nearby that would be able to help?
 
lauralucy said:
thank you, do you think she will take to a submissive piggy? I'm worried that the babies came home at 6 weeks old and she still bullied them.
i'm in Colchester, Essex do you know of any rescues nearby that would be able to help?
Click to expand...

It is very difficult to say - it may be that Maria genuinely struggles with other guinea pigs, but considering that virtually all the other guinea pigs have ended up with bite wounds would argue against a more dominant piggy. That is why dating her is worth travelling further afield - if things don't work out, at least you don't come home with another piggy and you have the rescue to fall back on if things go wrong at a later point. You never know what makes a piggy click, so all you can do is try to give her a choice.

Sadly, nothing near you; the closest rescue would be in Chelmsford. Guinea Pig Rescue Centre Locator
 
Just an update.
Maria has been to the vets and diagnosed with ovarian cysts she is currently on a course of hormone injections so I will wait until these have been finished and re assess her.

Ruby has had her abscess's lanced and is currently healing. :-)
 
Ruby has been back and forth finally managed to get it down to a pea sized lump. She is still on antibiotics.

Maria finished her injections and has been fine however last week I noticed her lumps were considerably bigger after another ultrasound it was found each side had grown by 1.5 cm making the left one 5cm and the right one 6cm.

She has been to the vets today and had it all removed (spay ) she looks thinner. Hopefully she will be ok and I can find her a friend she won't bully
 
lauralucy said:
Ruby has been back and forth finally managed to get it down to a pea sized lump. She is still on antibiotics.

Maria finished her injections and has been fine however last week I noticed her lumps were considerably bigger after another ultrasound it was found each side had grown by 1.5 cm making the left one 5cm and the right one 6cm.

She has been to the vets today and had it all removed (spay ) she looks thinner. Hopefully she will be ok and I can find her a friend she won't bully
Click to expand...

The spay should remove the hormonal issues. She will still exhibit normal social dominance behaviour, but no longer have any seasons.

You may find our tips for post-op care helpful since it is a major operation.
Tips For Post-operative Care
 
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