My neutered male Marley died a couple of weeks ago which left my female Peaches on her own. She used to follow Marley everywhere and without him she just wouldn't come out her cage. So I thought getting her a new companion would be the right thing to do. I adopted a 2 year old sow and her 6 month old daughter. I've had them 1 week and been Letting them have floor time together every day but peaches my original 10 month old sow is really dominating the young one e.g.raised hair, yawning, biting, chasing, lots of teeth chattering.the baby squeals and obviously doesn't want to be dominant so I don't understand why Peaches is keeping on at her. I've been keeping them in 2x5 c&c cage with a barrier in the middle so they can see/smell but not fight. I just tried bathing them all and putting them all in the clean cage but peaches went for the baby so I put the barrier back in. I'm at my wits end here! Any advise? I only got Marley in January and Peaches in April so I am very new to all things guinea pigs!
Need help bonding guinea pigs!
- Thread starter Snelson
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Hi! How long does floor time last? For a proper intro, you need several hours in one go, just short meetings will force your your piggies to always start back in square one and not be able to work through the dominance protocol.
However, the reaction is quite severe, so personally, I would not try to bond them and rather find another solution. Not all piggies get necessarily on with everypig; they have actually quite pronounced likes and dislikes, which can come as a surprise for those who just know them as peaceable group animals - dominant piggies generally much more so than submissive ones. For that reason, I prefer to date any piggies of mine at a good rescue to see whether initial acceptance happens or not and only come home with new piggies where it has (it obviously hasn't in your case).
Where are you located?
However, the reaction is quite severe, so personally, I would not try to bond them and rather find another solution. Not all piggies get necessarily on with everypig; they have actually quite pronounced likes and dislikes, which can come as a surprise for those who just know them as peaceable group animals - dominant piggies generally much more so than submissive ones. For that reason, I prefer to date any piggies of mine at a good rescue to see whether initial acceptance happens or not and only come home with new piggies where it has (it obviously hasn't in your case).
Where are you located?
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The first night they were introduced everything went really well - Peaches cuddled straight in with them and I thought it was going to work out brilliantly! The next night the young one (Gizmo) was quite curious about peaches so was following her about and Peaches sprayed on her face. Since then things have been getting worse rather than better. Peaches and the mum (Big Mo) sorted things out quite quickly - peaches still has a little bit of a moan at her but backs down quickly. Floor time varies but at least an hour whenever I am in I just let them free range in whatever room I am in. I thought perhaps the living room was causing issues as that was peaches usual floor space so one I tried the kitchen where she had never been before (just renovated) things were better the first night I did this but the next night it got worse again. There has been no blood but she is chasing Gizmo and biting her and I split it up at this point. Am I doing the right thing or should I see how things progress?
The woman I rehomed them from said I could bring them back if it didn't work out but I can't bear the thought of returning an animal! I know it has only been a week but I love them already!
I am in Edinburgh - just registered on the site so need to update my profile!
The woman I rehomed them from said I could bring them back if it didn't work out but I can't bear the thought of returning an animal! I know it has only been a week but I love them already!
I am in Edinburgh - just registered on the site so need to update my profile!
You have not really given them the chance to go through the full dominance protocol. Form what you are telling me, initial acceptance has obviously happened and you are now in stage #2, the dominance phase or hierarchy sort-out. Peaches has obviously lost her spot as top sow and is now lording it over your younger girl in order not to slide further down the hierarchy.
Please give them time together on neutral ground - ideally 6-8 hours in one go, then either separate for the night if things are still very tense or transfer to their freshly cleaned and made up cage (including furtnishings, which ideally are moved around a bit ot neutralise it. Interfere only if things get really ugly. Resume on the next day (which should be a lot calmer if they have had time to work through their main issues).
Dominance can last for a few weeks, but it should slowly subside. Just see how it goes and take from there; it is a bit borderline in terms of aggression, mainly because Peaches is afraid of the young girl and very aggressive-defensive.
Here are tips on how to conduct introductions: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
The same behaviours also apply to sows: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-simple-dominance-displays-or-fighting.28949/
You can add your location when you click on your name on the bar at top right/personal details/location. You can also create your avatar (the picture that always appears with your name when you are posting) by clicking on your name.
I will put a watch on this thread, so please keep me updated how you get on.
Please give them time together on neutral ground - ideally 6-8 hours in one go, then either separate for the night if things are still very tense or transfer to their freshly cleaned and made up cage (including furtnishings, which ideally are moved around a bit ot neutralise it. Interfere only if things get really ugly. Resume on the next day (which should be a lot calmer if they have had time to work through their main issues).
Dominance can last for a few weeks, but it should slowly subside. Just see how it goes and take from there; it is a bit borderline in terms of aggression, mainly because Peaches is afraid of the young girl and very aggressive-defensive.
Here are tips on how to conduct introductions: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-reintroducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
The same behaviours also apply to sows: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-simple-dominance-displays-or-fighting.28949/
You can add your location when you click on your name on the bar at top right/personal details/location. You can also create your avatar (the picture that always appears with your name when you are posting) by clicking on your name.
I will put a watch on this thread, so please keep me updated how you get on.
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