Just A Query Regarding My Two Boys

[Jesse's pigs]

So I don't know why but I've got to worrying about my two boars Mo & Steve falling out...I just realise that it could still happen and I dread of one day finding one of them hurt when I come home or something.

Maybe it's because I've been on holiday and come back so I'm still getting back into the routine and noises etc but I dunno. At night (they occupy my bedroom) I notice that there is a lot more rumbling and nipping. No blood or real signs of aggression but I do feel sorry for Mo when Steve chases him or nips/trys to mount him when he's eating. It doesn't happen constantly and as I said it doesn't seem to be aggressive in any way. But is this a bad sign?

They might even be doing this during the day aswell and it's just at night that I notice it. Mo has been chattering at Steve if he gets too much but that's all.

 

[Julie M]

My boys chatter and chase each other about a little bit too. It just sounds like boys being boys. You would know if they fell out as the chasing would be constant and the chattering very very loud. Also they would charge at each other and fight. My original 2 boys fell out and had a massive fight. Think tom and jerry cartoon like a ball of piggies rolling about with legs sticking out. They weren't hurt but kept chasing and charging at each other constantly.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

My boys chatter and chase each other about a little bit too. It just sounds like boys being boys. You would know if they fell out as the chasing would be constant and the chattering very very loud. Also they would charge at each other and fight. My original 2 boys fell out and had a massive fight. Think tom and jerry cartoon like a ball of piggies rolling about with legs sticking out. They weren't hurt but kept chasing and charging at each other constantly.

Thank you! I really don't want to have to witness them scuffle and in a way I do feel sympathetic for poor Mo sometimes- he's not as agile or as quick as Steve so it's not as easy for him to get rid of the little guy lol. Though Steve is good and just let's Mo hump him- even his head!

 

[Julie M]

Trust me you would know if they really fell out. It's very loud. Lol.
The things we may find upsetting that Guinea pigs do are just normal behaviour to them. I.e. The humping and chasing and nipping and chattering. It's just how they communicate with each other.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Trust me you would know if they really fell out. It's very loud. Lol.
The things we may find upsetting that Guinea pigs do are just normal behaviour to them. I.e. The humping and chasing and nipping and chattering. It's just how they communicate with each other.

Oh God lol I'm beginning to rethink their cages placement...perhaps not my bedroom anymore? Haha- when they're not rumbling etc (like now- you'd think I was lying) it's actually quite calming hearing them plod about and chew while you 'sleep'.

 

[Louise's Zoo]

Mine are sows but I often here my dominant female, Edna, chattering her teeth and giving Eileen a little nudge or kick if she's being too much. When Edna and Eva fell out it was so different. The teeth chattering was 100 times louder and instead of nudges or chasing, they actually attacked each other. Before this happened I wasn't sure of the difference between dominance and a proper fall out, but honestly, you'd know if it happened. Try not to worry.

 

[Julie M]

Mine are sows but I often here my dominant female, Edna, chattering her teeth and giving Eileen a little nudge or kick if she's being too much. When Edna and Eva fell out it was so different. The teeth chattering was 100 times louder and instead of nudges or chasing, they actually attacked each other. Before this happened I wasn't sure of the difference between dominance and a proper fall out, but honestly, you'd know if it happened. Try not to worry.

Yes it's pretty scary when they actually fight.

 

[Charlotte behan]

Mine are currently having a little dominance match and I'm hoping the same. Although i do think if anything serious were to happen in the middle of the night i would hear. I think the best thing would just be to keep an eye on them when you are home

 

[Lorcan]

If my two are anything to go by, it's definitely normal. Mind you Comet usually falls off Blitzen when he tries to hump him, or gets a kick in the face for his trouble.

What I'm saying is, sometimes (not always, but sometimes) watching them can also be world class entertainment.

 

[KaitlinH]

It completely normal! I have three boys and two of them do it to each other a lot. The other is very relaxed (thank God!) but the other two are forever chasing and mounting one another. It may look bad to us, but to them, it's completely normal behaviour xx

 

[piggieminder]

I suspect little Steve is having some hormone surges and is effectively saying to Mo "you're an old man now, I'm gonna take over as boss pig". Mo's not having any of this and is holding his own. Both my pairs are similar age pairings and the older boys have got calmer as they have got older, they just have little scuffles now and again when they want to be in the same place at the same time. My younger pair get quite heated mostly in the evening, Willow is trying to mount Bracken a lot and Bracken is fed up with it and is starting to get snappy. This is all very normal behaviour and dosen't mean they hate each other. Of course any pair of guinea pigs whatever age or sex can fall out and need to be seperated. I have thought out some options should this happen but hope I don't have to implement them. It's good that you realise this could happen but try not to worry, it's much more likely it won't. Willow's getting extra lap time at the moment to give Bracken some breathing space. Willow hates lap time maybe if he connnects it to humping Bracken he'll leave him alone!