Help with new piggies needed

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BellasMummy

BellasMummy

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I need a bit of advice about my 2 baby guinea pigs that i got last night.
One(Pixie) stayed out yesterday and would let us talk to her but today she has hidden herself away and when she does come out if she sees us she runs away.
The other(Phoebe) we hardly saw yesterday but i have seen her today. She tends to stay out a little bit longer but then runs into the hideaway.
When she runs in, the other guinea pig runs at her and pushes her out.
Is this normal? the one who pushes the other out is the older one by one week.
Is there anything i can do to help them?
 
This is normal (when I got my piggies they did this) It's just them trying to show their dominance over the other. They may also try and mount to other and just generally push the other around for a little while. Just make sure they are biting or fighting. If you put too hiding places (such as pigloos or grass houses) in then it will give them both some where to go at the same time)
It is also normal for them to hide if you have just got them. It can tae them months sometimes before they'll be properly happy coming out and staying out whilst your around.
Just be patient with them (it took mine nearly a year to be happy stayng out with people around)
Hope this helps:):):):)
 
That is helpful to me. I thought it was normal but as i have never had gp's before i wasn't sure. I will definitely be putting in another hideaway as this seems to be why they are disagreeing with each other.
Thanks :)
 
I have had my piggie 5 months, and only in the last month or so he has felt confident coming out when I'm in the room, but if anyone else is about he will never come out, piggies are prey animals who are very scared and timid. They take time to come round, on the other hand I got 2 rescues girls a month ago and they are amazing and never hide and are so friendly...so I guess it depends on the piggies too :)!
 
As guinea pigs live in groups, they always need to sort out the hierarchy between themselves at first. That usually takes several days to a few weeks. If you don't see your girls interacting peacefully or curling up together at some point within two or three weeks you should separate. However, this is very rare and most girls will settle, even if it can take longer to sort out their relationship fully!
Here is a link that may help you understand the behaviour between Pixie and Phoebe: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38561

It usually takes new piggies some time to settle in a new place. Here is a link for tips on how to deal with new piggies:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36239

We have more informative threads in the guinea pig care REFERENCE section that are aimed to answer the most frequently asked questions. You might find looking into that section useful.

I hope that Pixie and Phoebe will settle in well!
 
Things are getting worse, I'm almost sure that Pixie is biting Phoebe. My Mum thinks i should separate them but i don't know if that will make things worse.
Phoebe lets me watch her eat and she's fine but Pixie is extremely nervous.
Phoebe was eating just now and Pixie ran straight into her and i saw that Phoebe's coat looked wet(this might be a sign of her being bitten?)
I'm not even sure i could pick one of them up to separate them and i haven't got anywhere apart from the carrier to put them.
What should i do? I'm almost thinking about taking Pixie back and just keeping Phoebe, I'm getting so stressed out about this, I'm really upset.
 
Check for wounds, if she is biting her there will be wounds! I had a bullying scenerio a while ago and my own guinea pig had lots of wounds from were he had been bit (check rump, ears,side) are the main places. Aslong as they aren't drawing blood it should be ok. Also please weigh them, as if a piggie is stressed she will lose weight.
 
I'm too scared to even put my hand in the cage, in case they bite me. I honestly don't think i can get them out to look for wounds. Maybe Pixie is just nipping Phoebe? is that ok? The noise that comes out of them is so high pitched, they sound in pain.
 
Babies do shriek alot, they are noisy! Why can't you pick them up? You need to be prepared to get bit now and again, it's not that sore. The general rule is piggies don't tend to bite, but unfortunately not all have read the book!
 
Sit it out for a few more days - the wet patch can be from nipping or spray peeing.

My Minx and my Mischief started out as bad as that, and the first few days were very disheartening, but eventually they became the best of friends. Strangely, as much as a bully Phoebe is right now, she would be very unhappy if she were just on her own all the time!

Both girls are probably still very upset by all those changes in their lives. Make sure that you have two or three hides in the cage (can be even just a tea towel pegged to the bars and let pool onto the cage floor or a shoebox with two doors cut in) so that Pixie has a choice, too and Phoebe gets tired out from chasing her out of all of them eventually!

Part of the dominance work-out is a lot of high pitched screaming. The underpig is screaming a lot - and you will notice that eventually she is screaming simply to tell her mate "Don't come near me and be horrid to me again!"
 
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I did put an extra hideaway in yesterday that Phoebe uses to hide from Pixie. This works sometimes but then Pixie comes and pushes her out of it.
I guess I'm just worrying too much, i can see from what you've both written that the behaviour is quite normal for new piggies.
Its just that i have only ever had rabbits and they are silent so all the loud shrieking is really strange.
I won't separate them unless it becomes really necessary as it will only makes things worse.
Wiebke- i did read the link you put and it made sense to me, so thanks for that.
 
Be patient for a bit longer; piggy bonding takes some time, and because of all the noise it is very dramatic and disconcerting for the uninitiniated!

You can help a little bit by strictly adhering to the established hierarchy and always serving/talking to/handling etc. the top girl first. The problem is that any separation will only make things worse at this point. Only if you do not see even the slightest sign of peaceful interaction and overtures of friendship in a week or two, then I would worry.
 
The thing is they are fine sometimes and will sit in the same hideaway together which is good but then it all flares up. I think it is to do with hierarchy, its just strange for me to get used to as my rabbits aren't like that.
I will keep trying. The woman i got them from has offered to pop round and teach me how to handle them properly so that should help.
Thanks for the help :)
 
That they are sitting and napping together is a very good sign! It means that they have accepted each other (on the bottom line) and will become friends - as soon as they have worked out which shape their relationship is going to take.

You have obviously got one very dominant little girl, so it's more dramatic than in other cases. Thankfully, it doesn't say anything about the depth of their eventual bond, given due time! but brace yourself - it can take weeks and flare up especially when top girl is in season about every two weeks, and quite often grumpy for a few days!
 
I have had my 2 since October and they still run into their house everytime someone comes near.

They also push each other around, shove each other out of bed and steal each others food but it is all part of growing up. :)
 
Just thought i'd update you on the situation. Things got really bad between Phoebe and Pixie and in the end it was decided to send Pixie back. Instead Phoebe is now living with her birth sister Paislee.
Things are a lot better with them, no fighting just playing and they love cuddling up together.
Please understand i did this for the best, i know not everyone would agree with sending Pixie back but i feel it needed to be done.
I had a cuddle with the girls last night but still haven't managed to pick them up(out of the cage). I tried today but chickened out, will try again tonight.
The woman i got them from came round and sorted the cage out, she thought they needed hay on the floor for them to hide in rather than hideaways. This seems to work much better.
I'm happier with how things are now and Phoebe and Paislee seem to get on really well.
 
At least, you had the support from the woman you had your guinea pigs from, and if she was happy to exchange the piggies for you then there is no problem.

I'm glad that Phoebe and Paislee are getting on so well; I'm sure that Pixie will find a home in time - she's young enough! As Phoebe and Paislee have been brought up on a layer of hay, they will feel more comfortable on it while they settle in. You can always change later on and introduce hides.
 
Wiebke said:
At least, you had the support from the woman you had your guinea pigs from, and if she was happy to exchange the piggies for you then there is no problem.

I'm glad that Phoebe and Paislee are getting on so well; I'm sure that Pixie will find a home in time - she's young enough! As Phoebe and Paislee have been brought up on a layer of hay, they will feel more comfortable on it while they settle in. You can always change later on and introduce hides.
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From what i've been told for the time being Pixie will be staying with her Mum.
I didn't want to just swap them but this seems to be for the best for all involved.
Yes i will keep the layer of hay for the time being and see how they get on.
Thanks for your help before.
 
BellasMummy said:
From what i've been told for the time being Pixie will be staying with her Mum.
I didn't want to just swap them but this seems to be for the best for all involved.
Yes i will keep the layer of hay for the time being and see how they get on.
Thanks for your help before.
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As your lady seems to care for her piggies, I am not surprised to hear that! She will probably prefer to bond Pixie with a suitable companion herself, as she is so dominant.

Like with humans, you get all varieties of personalities. Simply throwing two piggies together doesn't always work out just like that!
 
The thing was Pixie and Phoebe weren't just thrown together they have lived together since birth and shared there mum's milk, so it was strange they didn't get along.
I put it down to Pixie being just that bit bigger and therefore she thought she should have priority on food etc. Anyway at least my 2 are happy and Pixie is being well looked after.
 
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