JaseChase
Junior Guinea Pig
My boys Noodle and Tofu are both 6 months old - prime teenage, I know! Their bond has been great so far, they'll share hideys and eat together and the only dominance I've seen so far is rumblestrutting. I've always thought Noodle was the dominant one, but over the past few weeks I wasn't so sure as Tofu has been in some of the favourite hideys, and when I handled him first Noodle didn't react, etc.
Today everything has got a bit tense. I had to change the liner in the cage (on the hottest day of the year, not much fun!) so I popped the boys in their usual pen for some floor time. Everything seemed great at first but while I was sweeping the cage I heard some squealing, turned around, and Tofu was humping Noodle. I have never seen them hump each other before, though I know it's a normal dominance thing from the guides, I think?
It's carried on ever since then - about half an hour now. Lots of chasing and humping from both of them, and also lots of squealing. I finished cleaning out the cage and put them back in and they're still going. In both the pen and the now-clean cage I made sure to leave some dirty hideys and pee pads so it should still smell like them, so I'm not quite sure what's caused this? The heat? Their age? A change in environment, though this has never happened before when I've given them floor time/cleaned the cage?
I don't think it's concerning behaviour yet - no teeth chattering or lunging and definitely no blood drawn. Just lots of chasing, humping, and squealing. I've attached a video so you can see what I mean. Am I right in thinking this is normal and I don't need to intervene? They're in a 2x5 C&C but I could extend it to a 2x6 and separate them so they have 2x3 each if necessary. All the hideys have two exits and I scatter feed so there isn't normally much to squabble about.
Today everything has got a bit tense. I had to change the liner in the cage (on the hottest day of the year, not much fun!) so I popped the boys in their usual pen for some floor time. Everything seemed great at first but while I was sweeping the cage I heard some squealing, turned around, and Tofu was humping Noodle. I have never seen them hump each other before, though I know it's a normal dominance thing from the guides, I think?
It's carried on ever since then - about half an hour now. Lots of chasing and humping from both of them, and also lots of squealing. I finished cleaning out the cage and put them back in and they're still going. In both the pen and the now-clean cage I made sure to leave some dirty hideys and pee pads so it should still smell like them, so I'm not quite sure what's caused this? The heat? Their age? A change in environment, though this has never happened before when I've given them floor time/cleaned the cage?
I don't think it's concerning behaviour yet - no teeth chattering or lunging and definitely no blood drawn. Just lots of chasing, humping, and squealing. I've attached a video so you can see what I mean. Am I right in thinking this is normal and I don't need to intervene? They're in a 2x5 C&C but I could extend it to a 2x6 and separate them so they have 2x3 each if necessary. All the hideys have two exits and I scatter feed so there isn't normally much to squabble about.
