Introducing Two Females To One Another

[bethmcfc]

So i recently bought a baby guinea & my current guinea is 3 years old.She keeps trying to mount her,nibble her fur/ear,chases her & won't let her sleep in the hut.Just wondering if it's normal & if so will they become friends later on?

 

[Subvato]

Best give baby a place to hide too. Sounds like typical doninance behaviour from my reading.

Nibble ear is meant to say 'I accept you' I believe

 

[bethmcfc]

How long will it take them to be friends? Should we separate them or keep them together?

 

[Subvato]

I'm no expert. But I wouldn't seperate as resets process. Dominance can take a few weeks. Other members will have more in depth info

 

[Wiebke]

Please do not separate; your girl is clearly welcoming the little one (ear nibbling is also called power grooming) and has bonded with her, but she is establishing her dominance. Please have two hideys (ideally each with two exits), bowls (a body length apart) etc. The dominance phase lasts as long as it last - from a few days to a few few weeks; it depends on the piggies involved.
You may find these threads here helpful:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sow-behaviour.38561/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/

 

[bethmcfc]

Should i separate them for tonight? Could my older guinea savage the little guinea?

 

[Wiebke]

No, no need to separate if you have got two hideys (if necessary, make the little one a cardboard hidey that your bigger girl can't get into). Your two girls HAVE bonded; there won;t be any blood shed as long as you give the little one a chance to get out of a corner. It is all going pretty normally for guinea pig bonding. They know what they are doing. Please read the links and you will find that all dominance behaviours you have reported are well in the tolerable mild to medium range. Any loud screaming from the little one is submission, NOT hurt.

 

[bethmcfc]

Thanks :-) I've kept them together for a while & they seem to be friends,they're sleeping with each other & drinking together

 

[1GuineaPig1]

That's great! My guinea pigs did the same thing. They love each other now, but they didn't use to. Just give them time, and they'll become the best of friends.