Dominance behaviour

[kerrywhite]

Hi there, I have two male Guinea pigs that are in the same cage. They’ve been in the same cage since I got them just under a year ago. They are also brothers.

I have never had any issues with them, they have never fought just the occasional rumble to assert dominance. They seem really happy in each others company and get on well.

However, tonight one of them began humping the other and was chasing them. This was constant and only seemed to stop for a few moments at a time.

I have separated them for the night just to give them a bit of space in hope that it will be resolved tomorrow as I didn’t want to wake up to either of them hurt in the morning. Was this the right thing to do?

I gave them both a bath earlier on today (one of them has really long fluffy hair so it gets cut every so often and I usually just clean his bum with fragrance free baby wipes) I gave them both a bath just so that one didn’t become bothered by the others scent. I have given them both a bath once before in the past and haven’t had any issues.

I have read this could be dominance behaviour but I’m worried it would be because I gave them both a bath.

I would hate to have to separate them indefinitely as I don’t have the space for another cage and they have gotten along so well together up until this point.

Any advice would be great

Thank you

 

[Siikibam]

How old are they roughly? They can still experience hormones spikes when out of their teens. It can lead to quite incessant chasing and humping. If the underpig is letting himself be mounted and humped then that’s fine. It does look worse from our end than it is for them.

The bum bath could possibly have triggered it but I’m not sure. I would say if one doesn’t need a bum bath then don’t give them one. With regards the long haired, a bum bath with just plain warm water should do the trick.

When you put them back together, you’ll have to do it on neutral territory. Hopefully the chaser would have calmed down.

PS please only post once on a particular topic. It’s quite late and the (U.K.) based members are likely in bed or even asleep.

 

[kerrywhite]

They are just under a year old

Yes. Sorry my internet disconnected so I wasn’t sure the first post had actually posted as I couldn’t see it

 

[Aisling]

I notice sometimes after bathing my girls they act a bit strange for a while.
They do things such as ear biting, rumble strutting,marking their territory and peeing on each other.
I'm guessing this is because they don't like smelling clean.
They stopped doing this as they got older and calmer.
I'd give it about a day or two to let them get their normal scents back.
I'm not saying that this is what's going on but it's a possibility.
Hope this helps,
and I hope everything goes well for you and your guinea pigs.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They are still teenagers so will still be a bit hormonal even though at almost a year it isn’t as high as it would have been.

What you are seeing is dominance and It is possible the bath caused it - their scent would have been wiped away and they probably won’t like that.
I will add, I have a bonded pair of boars who are 5 years old one of whom is long haired. His hair is kept short around his back end and sides but they are not bathed.
Baths are usually only needed for medical reasons or if a piggy is very soiled often because they are older and aren’t keeping themselves as clean as they used to.

While it is just dominance it is best not to intervene or separate them. However if it is relentless and hormonally driven it is ok to give them a bit of time apart to calm down but it is only something you should only do once. Separate (often for a couple of days) to let hormones settle and then reintroduce to see is their bond is still functioning and that they want to be together.

You will need to make sure you reintroduce them on neutral territory if the separation has been more than a couple of hours. Don’t just put them back together in their normal cage. Upon reintroduction It should become clear within a short space of time if they still want to be together. If things go well, and you will still see dominance behaviours while they reestablish, then they can go back to the cage together.

 

[kerrywhite]

I notice sometimes after bathing my girls they act a bit strange for a while.
They do things such as ear biting, rumble strutting,marking their territory and peeing on each other.
I'm guessing this is because they don't like smelling clean.
They stopped doing this as they got older and calmer.
I'd give it about a day or two to let them get their normal scents back.
I'm not saying that this is what's going on but it's a possibility.
Hope this helps,
and I hope everything goes well for you and your guinea pigs.

Thank you for this. I have put them back together this morning and they seem to be back to the normal selves thank goodness! Maybe they just needed a bit of separation for the evening

 

[Seven7]

For my boys, I find that their love for each other outweighs their rumbling over food during meal time. I do worry sometimes, but they always seek out each other and sleep together. My Finn and Bear are bonded boys who live together. Ben who became our family recently lives nearby in another cage because the bonded pair wouldn't let him join in. They do nose rub through the cage.

 

[kerrywhite]

For my boys, I find that their love for each other outweighs their rumbling over food during meal time. I do worry sometimes, but they always seek out each other and sleep together. My Finn and Bear are bonded boys who live together. Ben who became our family recently lives nearby in another cage because the bonded pair wouldn't let him join in. They do nose rub through the cage.

Yeah pickles and Ted are the same. They’re fine today and have been since I put Ted back in the cage this morning

Thank you!