hi i’m new to this website, hopefully this is the right spot to ask questions? I just bought one guinea pig two days ago, then another one yesterday. the one I first got was a baby (much smaller) than the one i got yesterday, The bigger guinea pig started to make a rumble type noise and kind of wiggle after awhile of me being anxious i researched that it’s normal dominant behavior in males. Although my smaller guinea pig has been making chirping noises sort of like a bird sometimes when my other (bigger) guinea pig gets too close, i read somewhere this meant they’re happy? then I read somewhere that said they’re scared? Is this normal thank you anybody who responds.
Help with my two new guinea pigs!
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Merab
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Welcome to the forum.
I don’t have the experience to help you but someone will be along who knows what to tell you.
I do know that bonding can seem very dramatic to us.
Congratulations on your new piggies
I don’t have the experience to help you but someone will be along who knows what to tell you.
I do know that bonding can seem very dramatic to us.
Congratulations on your new piggies
The rumbling behaviour is totally normal.
Your guinea pigs will be in a two week period of bonding and forming their relationship. You will see a lot of dominance behaviour during this time.
However, you will always see these kinds of dominance behaviours when you have two boys. They use this behaviour as a way to communicate and continue to enforce their hierarchy and relationship.
Have you checked both the piggies are definitely male? Please do if you haven’t done so alreadyl
Two males need a lot of room so ensure your cage is 150x60cm but ideally 180x60cm. Any smaller and they are may have space related problems because boars are territorial and need a lot of room.
These guides explain behaviour further
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Regarding the chirping noise. Nobody knows why they do it and this is why you are finding different information. It is a rather rare sound to hear and context based.
Your guinea pigs will be in a two week period of bonding and forming their relationship. You will see a lot of dominance behaviour during this time.
However, you will always see these kinds of dominance behaviours when you have two boys. They use this behaviour as a way to communicate and continue to enforce their hierarchy and relationship.
Have you checked both the piggies are definitely male? Please do if you haven’t done so alreadyl
Two males need a lot of room so ensure your cage is 150x60cm but ideally 180x60cm. Any smaller and they are may have space related problems because boars are territorial and need a lot of room.
These guides explain behaviour further
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Regarding the chirping noise. Nobody knows why they do it and this is why you are finding different information. It is a rather rare sound to hear and context based.
Siikibam
Forum Donator 2022/23
Did you put them together in a neutral area or did you put new pig straight in with big pig?
As above, please double check the Sex of both piggies as soon as possible. It’s also recommended that you book them in for a vet check in a weeks’ time.
Make sure you have two of everything (hay piles, bottles etc) and that all hides habe two exits so they can’t be trapped.
As above, please double check the Sex of both piggies as soon as possible. It’s also recommended that you book them in for a vet check in a weeks’ time.
Make sure you have two of everything (hay piles, bottles etc) and that all hides habe two exits so they can’t be trapped.
D
Deleted member 151640
Hi, all new guinea pig meetings should be in a neutral space to stop spacial domination.
Chirping that i’ve seen from my boy has been anxious/fearful. He goes in a trance like state and i have to pick him up to get him out of it but as was said above it’s such a rare thing we don’t really know what it means.
Please make sure your boys have adequate space and plenty of space to run/hide. Two of everything is recommended especially in boars. Even the most bonded pairs need time to themselves.
The bonding process can be tough but here’s a few things to look out for.
Bullying - Sometimes larger pigs tend to realise this and push their weight around. I would look out for not allowing the smaller pig to eat veg while their eating, not allowing them to hide or being overly protective of certain areas/things.
Failed bond - The obvious things are sort of major aggression. But one easy way to know is if blood is drawn through biting, head raising and nipping can occur but often they work it out themselves, but i would recommend keeping an eye on them incase it turns ugly.
Successful bond - In terms of success in bonding i’ve seen often cuddling up, hanging out together and even seeking comfort in each other. Example you accidentally drop something and they run to each other.
In this time please have them checked at the vets, they also would be able to sex your pigs if you are struggling.
Bonding with you is another big thing, so a couple tips to gain a guinea pigs trust is hand feeding and just sitting and speaking to them. Holding can be a great way to bond but often guinea pigs don’t want to be touched and grabbed from the air, so i would recommend picking them up in their favourite cozy or something.
Bonding isn’t linear but i just recommend keeping a close eye on them and giving them time to work things out.
Crossing my fingers all goes well x
Chirping that i’ve seen from my boy has been anxious/fearful. He goes in a trance like state and i have to pick him up to get him out of it but as was said above it’s such a rare thing we don’t really know what it means.
Please make sure your boys have adequate space and plenty of space to run/hide. Two of everything is recommended especially in boars. Even the most bonded pairs need time to themselves.
The bonding process can be tough but here’s a few things to look out for.
Bullying - Sometimes larger pigs tend to realise this and push their weight around. I would look out for not allowing the smaller pig to eat veg while their eating, not allowing them to hide or being overly protective of certain areas/things.
Failed bond - The obvious things are sort of major aggression. But one easy way to know is if blood is drawn through biting, head raising and nipping can occur but often they work it out themselves, but i would recommend keeping an eye on them incase it turns ugly.
Successful bond - In terms of success in bonding i’ve seen often cuddling up, hanging out together and even seeking comfort in each other. Example you accidentally drop something and they run to each other.
In this time please have them checked at the vets, they also would be able to sex your pigs if you are struggling.
Bonding with you is another big thing, so a couple tips to gain a guinea pigs trust is hand feeding and just sitting and speaking to them. Holding can be a great way to bond but often guinea pigs don’t want to be touched and grabbed from the air, so i would recommend picking them up in their favourite cozy or something.
Bonding isn’t linear but i just recommend keeping a close eye on them and giving them time to work things out.
Crossing my fingers all goes well x
Good luck. I hope your piggies like each other and choose to live together. I also have two boys. As said above they need two of everything so they don’t have to share. And also any hides you have in there should have two doors in them so they can’t trap each other in there. I use boxes with two holes cut in them.
The rumbling and squeaking is normal. I’d say the piggy doing the rumble is the dominant piggy and the squeaky one is saying that they are no threat.
Feel free to post some pictures of them. We love piggy pictures here.
The rumbling and squeaking is normal. I’d say the piggy doing the rumble is the dominant piggy and the squeaky one is saying that they are no threat.
Feel free to post some pictures of them. We love piggy pictures here.
Cheekypigs
Teenage Guinea Pig
YouTube videos are really good to learn about dominance and bonding, as you get to hear all the sounds. Scotty's Animals in particular has a whole playlist about it.
Our subordinate boy sometimes makes a loud quivering squeaking noise while the boss pig faces him down, I think it is a combination of "I submit!" and "Leave me alone!". He also sometimes does it when he's registering a complaint. When they were having problems and fighting in the past, that noise also went along with it. I feel like it is a general sort of disagreement/complaint/argument noise.
Our subordinate boy sometimes makes a loud quivering squeaking noise while the boss pig faces him down, I think it is a combination of "I submit!" and "Leave me alone!". He also sometimes does it when he's registering a complaint. When they were having problems and fighting in the past, that noise also went along with it. I feel like it is a general sort of disagreement/complaint/argument noise.