Guinea pig shrieking

fshs18

fshs18

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My guinea pigs are about 4/5 months old now, we've had them from about 10 weeks old. They're both happy and healthy, eat plenty and get along with eachother (they're both female).
Recently one of them has started shrieking loads when something she doesn't like is happening. For example: if the other pig kicks her out of one of the hideys
More recently we have them both a haircut (as they're Abyssinians) and I had to lift her up to check her stomach for matted hair (there wasn't any) she started screaming at the top of her lungs and Shen wouldn't calm down even when I left her on my lap/fed her treats etc. I put her back in her cage and she kept shrieking for another few minutes even though the other pig wasn't bothering her.
The other pig does often rumblestrut and chase her away if she wants to be alone and she screams then but only briefly. I think this is normal dominance behaviour though?

Is this just dramatic behaviour, or did I do something wrong: does something seem wrong with her?
 
fshs18 said:
My guinea pigs are about 4/5 months old now, we've had them from about 10 weeks old. They're both happy and healthy, eat plenty and get along with eachother (they're both female).
Recently one of them has started shrieking loads when something she doesn't like is happening. For example: if the other pig kicks her out of one of the hideys
More recently we have them both a haircut (as they're Abyssinians) and I had to lift her up to check her stomach for matted hair (there wasn't any) she started screaming at the top of her lungs and Shen wouldn't calm down even when I left her on my lap/fed her treats etc. I put her back in her cage and she kept shrieking for another few minutes even though the other pig wasn't bothering her.
The other pig does often rumblestrut and chase her away if she wants to be alone and she screams then but only briefly. I think this is normal dominance behaviour though?

Is this just dramatic behaviour, or did I do something wrong: does something seem wrong with her?
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

It sounds like very normal dominance behaviour. The loud shrieking in the cage is submission squeaking.
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

However, the shrieking when you were checking her is a bit more unusual. She sounds like she has been freaking out.
You might want to take our course on piggy whispering to understand how prey animal instincts work and how you can use social interactive behaviours to communicate and to make her feel more at ease.
In this age of commercial mass pet shop and backyard breeding some piggies are sadly born to very stressed mothers; they experience this high level of stress as the 'normal' which becomes their default setting. It takes years in my own experience to get to settle them down mostly; they will always be more easily upset. But I find that the whispering techniques are really helping me in speeding up the process.
You may find these guides here very helpful:
Arrival in a home from the perspective of pet shop guinea pigs
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely
Who is the boss - your guinea pig or you?
 
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