In Season?

[breakfast]

Our rescue sows came home a week ago and have appeared to have a clear dominance hierarchy. Today there has been a lot more squeaking and chasing in their indoor run than normal. The dominant has been following the submissive around and sniffing her backside a lot, while the submissive has been thrusting her backside in the other's face frequently.
Obviously I suspect the under sow is in season, but does this all sound normal? These are my first piggies and they're making a lot of noise and fuss!

 

[Chief Guinea Pig]

It sounds like one of them is in season to me, it will cool off eventually as long as they are properly sexed you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Could well be in season or if anything has changed in the cage there might be a slight rekindling of the dominance dance

 

[breakfast]

It sounds like one of them is in season to me, it will cool off eventually as long as they are properly sexed you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Hope so! They came from a recommended rescue so I think the sexing should be safe thanks

 

[breakfast]

Could well be in season or if anything has changed in the cage there might be a slight rekindling of the dominance dance

Thanks, they were in the run when it really kicked off but have calmed down a bit now they are back in the cage and not racing about so much

 

[VickiA]

Could just be the re establishing of dominance outside the cage or, as you say, one of them in season. It will settle down and quieten down too.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Omg how weird, I am having the EXACT same problem! My babies are about 11 weeks old now, the dominant one, Cissy, is acting submissive and my little runt, Bella, is rumblestrutting for the first time in 4 weeks and tried to mount and hump her side the other day. It's really bizarre! Please keep me informed and I will also if you like, I'm not sure if the hierarchy is changing but time will tell!

 

[Wiebke]

Our rescue sows came home a week ago and have appeared to have a clear dominance hierarchy. Today there has been a lot more squeaking and chasing in their indoor run than normal. The dominant has been following the submissive around and sniffing her backside a lot, while the submissive has been thrusting her backside in the other's face frequently.
Obviously I suspect the under sow is in season, but does this all sound normal? These are my first piggies and they're making a lot of noise and fuss!

Sounds like a season to me; the first ones tend to be on the strong side, as it is part of the bonding process.
Sow Behaviour

 

[Freela]

Sounds normal to me... dominance squabbles can flare when a sow is in season and can be noisy!

 

[breakfast]

Omg how weird, I am having the EXACT same problem! My babies are about 11 weeks old now, the dominant one, Cissy, is acting submissive and my little runt, Bella, is rumblestrutting for the first time in 4 weeks and tried to mount and hump her side the other day. It's really bizarre! Please keep me informed and I will also if you like, I'm not sure if the hierarchy is changing but time will tell!

Sounds like it's fairly normal then! These two are both adult pigs and are very well bonded, if not exactly the cuddling up together type. I did notice the older one licking the younger (in season?) one's head and the next day they were absolutely back to normal.
Hope yours have calmed down too!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Sounds like it's fairly normal then! These two are both adult pigs and are very well bonded, if not exactly the cuddling up together type. I did notice the older one licking the younger (in season?) one's head and the next day they were absolutely back to normal.
Hope yours have calmed down too!

Yes they appear to have calmed down now too, I've never seen my girlies cuddle and they don't like to be in the same hut together (they kick each other out, mainly Cissy) although I hope they will love each other more and do cuddles as they settle in with each other a bit more.

I did notice a scab on Bellas back yesterday, just a little one but I wonder if Cissy has nipped her too hard. I'm a little worried they might fall out but I've only ever seen them have a fight once and that was my own fault as I had to hold them both at the same time on my lap, which they did not like. I really hope they don't have to be separated, I don't know what I'd do if they can't live together.