Love/hate Relationship?

[Joeykins]

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit new to piggie psychology, we've had our girls (12 weeks old) home for a month now and I just wanted to check that this behaviour is normal!

Sometimes they seem to get annoyed with each other, Buttercup will follow Daisy and rumble and wiggle a bit, only for a second or two then all is forgotten, they also rumble at each other sometimes if one or the other gets into bed at the same time. Buttercup also shoves Daisy out of the way sometimes and they raise their noses at each other. I've heard these are all signs of a falling out

But then there's the other end of the spectrum, they chase each other around bubbling and popcorning, bubble to each other when they see/hear the other, and despite the bed disputes they can both often be seen snuggled up together in bed! And despite the great offence taken at bed stealing, neither seem to mind when the other literally takes a prized food out of the other ones mouth!

Buttercup does seem to be the dominant of the two, she is more outgoing, always the first out to feed, and the most comfortable with handling etc.

I just want to make sure they are both happy piggies! x

 

[Lilly]

Seems perfectly normal to me! I have boys but they have the same love/hate relationship & every one of the behaviours you mention have been exhibited by my two. They have been together for over 3 years now and not much has changed except that Hazelnut allows Peanut Butter to snuggle with him a bit more often than he did in the past.

 

[PiggySmitten]

Sounds like our three girls too. The one that is slightly bigger (and so we assume slightly older but age not known) has quickly established herself as the boss and grumbles (low throated noise) a lot at the other 2 if they go near "her" house when she wants it and occasionally tries to nip them but they all three have been seen in each of the three hidey areas at different times and even boss one does sometimes sit snuggled to one of the other two.

 

[Wiebke]

Sounds very normal to me! You expect some dominance behaviour during the first few weeks; that will make a reappearance later on whenever one of the girls comes into a stronger season.

You may find this thread helpful: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sow-behaviour.38561/

 

[VickiA]

All sounds normal to me, too.

 

[Beady Eye]

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit new to piggie psychology, we've had our girls (12 weeks old) home for a month now and I just wanted to check that this behaviour is normal!

Sometimes they seem to get annoyed with each other, Buttercup will follow Daisy and rumble and wiggle a bit, only for a second or two then all is forgotten, they also rumble at each other sometimes if one or the other gets into bed at the same time. Buttercup also shoves Daisy out of the way sometimes and they raise their noses at each other. I've heard these are all signs of a falling out

But then there's the other end of the spectrum, they chase each other around bubbling and popcorning, bubble to each other when they see/hear the other, and despite the bed disputes they can both often be seen snuggled up together in bed! And despite the great offence taken at bed stealing, neither seem to mind when the other literally takes a prized food out of the other ones mouth!

Buttercup does seem to be the dominant of the two, she is more outgoing, always the first out to feed, and the most comfortable with handling etc.

I just want to make sure they are both happy piggies! x

I find there is always a dominant one in any pairing, boars or sows.