My 3 little piggies... Harley, Quinn and Willow

[VampVenom]

Hey,

I recently adopted three sows from pets at home, all 7 weeks old and from the same litter (i've only had them just over 2 weeks)

They are currently in a 120 rabbit cage until i build a 5x2 C&C cage, and recently they've started to bicker.

At first i thought Willow was bullying the other two, Harley and Quinn. Then i noticed that Quinn was doing the same to Harley and Willow!... Harley dosn't seem to bother with this behaviour and is the shy one of the group, when Willow is the first to the food and the first to start popcorning about! (does this mean Willow will be the dominant one? Shes the smallest!)

Their behaviour ranges from being happy in their hidey holes to raising their heads up and chasing eachother out of the hidey holes. Did i make the right desicion to get 3 hidey holes? (an igloo, log and tube)

I'm worried they will not get on at all, it seems that Willow is the worst. She picks fights with both Harley and Quinn (they are both black and sleek where willow is ginger white and tufty, this makes me wonder if they are from the same litter (damn pets at home adoption section)

I hope to God they get along well, i couldnt bare having to seperate them :'(

Please HELP!

 

[Wiebke]

Your girls are still fully in the process of sorting out the hierarchy. Give them time to do so. Chasing underpiggies out od hidey holes and off food bowls is part and parcel of that. The dominance phase can last a few weeks at the worst. It doesn't say anything about how close friends they will become afterwards.

Whether they are related or not doesn't make a jot of difference; some of my worst squabblers have been litter sisters. They key is character compatibility and the intensity and length is determined by how dominant (or not) they all are.

If you happen to end up with an outsider situation of some sorts (which can happen in trios), I would consider a neutered boar to add; he will act as glue as he has to get on with all sows in order to mate. Please do so by dating them all at a good rescue to make sure that they get on.
Your closest highly recommendable rescue this one here (which allows you to date under expert supervision): http://www.northeastguineapigrescue.co.uk/

 

[Rodentopia]

At the moment they are sorting out the hierarchy and who is going to be in charge. Its early days yet and they have only been with you for 2 weeks. In a few weeks things should settle down as they establish a hierarchy and a bond as they grow. It doesn't matter if the piggies are related or not, its a common myth. It can be a case of clash of personalities and that can happen with any of the sexes. Being related makes no difference. I'm sure in a week or two they will calm down especially as you are giving them a bigger cage, at the moment it might be cramped in there for them with all that stuff so once they have a bigger cage they can get away from each other in it might change the dynamic again

 

[madguinealady]

i have four girls together and one is very grumpy but they have the space to get away form each other No blood drawn Do you have two bottles and two food bowls Would even put two lots of hay in as my dominant one hides in it and wont let others in sometimes Good luck