Need Help With Bonding Quickly

[LilyThePiggy]

I've read the posts on introducing your guinea pigs so I thought I would know what I was doing. Now I've got my guinea pigs together and I'm confused. When I first put them together they seemed fine they were distracted by the vegetables. But then it started to run out and lily, my oldest, walked away and meg followed meg tried to sniff Lily's bum but lily doesn't like when something touches her so ran away it happened a few times then lily snapped and gave one of her warning bites to meg now this happens anytime meg touches her. Then both would raise their chins and meg would launch and that's the only dominant behaviour I've noticed.

I've given them hay and water but they haven't touched the water and ate some hay but lily lay down in a corner meg followed then lily seemed to nuzzle her nose in megs side a bit then lay down again now megs in an opposit corner to lily while Lily's laying down again meg comes over every now and then.

They've been together for almost an hour and I don't know what to do or if they like each other or not.
Please help

 

[Beans&Toast]

Sounds like it's going okay
Some piggies take a while to warm to each other just keep doing what you're doing

 

[MerryPip]

Try not to worry....

It sounds like they are doing just fine. Bonds aren't built in a day and it will continue to take time with odd scuffles over the next few days but so far the fact they are sharing space and eating together is promising.

I'm not great with bonding girls so maybe @Wiebke can add her perspective as she has much more experience with girls...

 

[Wiebke]

I've read the posts on introducing your guinea pigs so I thought I would know what I was doing. Now I've got my guinea pigs together and I'm confused. When I first put them together they seemed fine they were distracted by the vegetables. But then it started to run out and lily, my oldest, walked away and meg followed meg tried to sniff Lily's bum but lily doesn't like when something touches her so ran away it happened a few times then lily snapped and gave one of her warning bites to meg now this happens anytime meg touches her. Then both would raise their chins and meg would launch and that's the only dominant behaviour I've noticed.

I've given them hay and water but they haven't touched the water and ate some hay but lily lay down in a corner meg followed then lily seemed to nuzzle her nose in megs side a bit then lay down again now megs in an opposit corner to lily while Lily's laying down again meg comes over every now and then.

They've been together for almost an hour and I don't know what to do or if they like each other or not.
Please help

It sounds like it is so far going OK to me; there has been some wariness, but also a friendly overture; the nuzzling. Just give them time. Bonding usually goes in rounds with rest periods in between. Your girls will moving into the dominance phase; there may more chin ups until it has been decided.
Look at the chapter about fairly equal dominance in this guide here: Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics

 

[LilyThePiggy]

It sounds like it is so far going OK to me; there has been some wariness, but also a friendly overture; the nuzzling. Just give them time. Bonding usually goes in rounds with rest periods in between. Your girls will moving into the dominance phase; there may more chin ups until it has been decided.
Look at the chapter about fairly equal dominance in this guide here: Illustrated Bonding Behaviours And Dynamics

I'm still unsure about some things Like when I will know for sure that they've sorted things out and what to do after that so I put them in the same cage or in separate cages and do it another day

 

[MerryPip]

As everyone has said the signs are good and if they continue as they are now then they will be fine to go into a cage together. When you do that there will probably be some more mounting and chasing as they get used to the new environment but that's normal. They just need time to work things out themselves. As long as there is no true aggression or bullying then just watch and let them get on with it. The link Wiebke sent will tell you more about what behaviours are normal and which are warning signs that things are going badly.

Make sure the cage you put them in is clean so it's neutral territory and doesn't smell of one or the other. Keep a close eye on them and they should be fine. Separating them again at this stage will mean that next time they meet they have to start the bonding from the beginning again and that is more stressful for them than continuing to work towards being together.

Don't worry if they don't lie next to each other and cuddle up, that doesn't mean they haven't bonded well. Some piggies are just more cuddly than others. I have two brothers who adore each other but they almost never sleep next to each other but God forbid you should take one out of the cage without the other, they go mad! Bonds get stronger with time so be patient.

 

[Wiebke]

I'm still unsure about some things Like when I will know for sure that they've sorted things out and what to do after that so I put them in the same cage or in separate cages and do it another day

You still have got until evening for the sows to work through the roughest bit of the dominance in the bonding pen before you need to make any decisions; I would transfer latest 1-2 hours to the cage to be able to observe how they settle together. Divide only if the general tension in their bodies and interaction is peristently high. Just stay off any hideys with only one exit for the first day or two in the cage.
It is a good sign that they are quite obviously very careful to not cross the line into full out scrapping or fighting, so it is well worth persisting and just letting them work it out without any interference.

The bonding between Hafren and Iola lasted a whole afternoon and it went through at least 5-6 rounds of teeth chattering and chinning, with a bit of cautious lunging thrown in, but it got less and less intense as the afternoon went on until the two finally settled down together for a nap and I could transfer them to the cage. The two are still together and they really are best of friends!

 

[LilyThePiggy]

I put them in the same cage a few days ago and every thing was fine there was a few chases, Lily chasing Meg, but apart from that every thing has been fine. Until this morning I got woken by them at about 5:45 Lily was chasing Meg but there was a lot of squeaking and teeth chittering then it stopped then a few minutes later it happened again so I put my light on and Lily was mounting Meg which she had never tried to do before. It started and stopped for 15 to 20 minutes then I noticed that Meg would go up to Lily most of the time like when Lily was upstairs drinking meg would come up straight away. I don't know what to do

 

[Critter]

I'd keep them in there, there's no actual fights, it can take a couple of weeks to settle down, just keep an eye on things x

 

[Wiebke]

I put them in the same cage a few days ago and every thing was fine there was a few chases, Lily chasing Meg, but apart from that every thing has been fine. Until this morning I got woken by them at about 5:45 Lily was chasing Meg but there was a lot of squeaking and teeth chittering then it stopped then a few minutes later it happened again so I put my light on and Lily was mounting Meg which she had never tried to do before. It started and stopped for 15 to 20 minutes then I noticed that Meg would go up to Lily most of the time like when Lily was upstairs drinking meg would come up straight away. I don't know what to do

Let them be - one of the girls is in season! As they are newly bonded, these tend to be stronger than normal. The shared excess of emotion and hormones will serve to bonded them more closely. It will be over by tomorrow. They are not going to fall out now! Please read the following link, so you can understand and interpret better what is happening.
Sow Behaviour

 

[Freela]

This all sounds within the range of normal behavior. Chasing and mounting is really common in figuring out dominance and especially if one of the girls is in season. Pigs take awhile to work out who is going to be the boss, and even once it's figured out some pigs will have periodic squabbles. Just hang in there!