New Guinea following death of other Pig

[Hedgepig]

Hiya!

I had 3 Guinea Pigs, Mango, Scampi and Hunny. However last week I found Mango dead. I had only had her 4months, from a rescue center, same as Scampi. I'd adopted them after Hunny's cagemate Molly had to be put to sleep and Hunny was lonely.
But being that they only knew each other for 4 months, Scampi and Hunny seemed to cope with Mango's passing OK and get over it quite quickly, so I started looking for a new, young pig, mostly for Scampi's benefit. Scampi is 1yr and Hunny is 3, so I was/am concerned about how attached to Hunny Scampi is as Scampi will most likely outlive her, so I wanted Scampi to have another friend closer to her age.

Anyway, I was looking around rescue centers, and found a 1year old female called Caramel. Perfect age, same sex. Went to see her today and she was lovely. Quite content to sit on me, didn't seem to bother her at all. So I took her. However since getting her home I've experienced some issues. I've never really had any major problems putting female guineas together, they've always just got on. My 2 have tried to make friends with Caramel, but Caramel just keeps "rumbling" at them, chattering her teeth, and in a couple of cases, chase/try to attack Scampi and Hunny.
The cage I have has 2 levels. So I put Caramel upstairs and left the other 2 downstairs. But I'm unsure what to do. It is only the 1st day, so I am hoping they just need more time. As I said all my other girls have just got on right off the bat, so I'm just unsure what the protocol is in this situation. I don't want anyone getting hurt or stressed.

Advice much appreciated. Thanks

 

[PAMELAKT]

Chasing, a little chattering, strutting - all perfectly fine behaviour. When you say attacking what do you mean exactly?

They are trying to establish rank which is fine & normal... So long as no aggression takes place. Chasing is not aggressive necessarily, I'm not sure what you mean by chasing/attacking. Was there any lunging?

 

[shiny]

Did you introduce them in your existing guineas' cage? Caramel may have felt threatened by it smelling of the other pigs if so. It's worth doing introductions on neutral ground & introducing them all to a freshly cleaned cage. Have you had a look at this thread abuot sow dominance behaviour http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?38561-Sow-behaviour - really useful stuff that might help you.

Hope you can sort it all out & they will get on ok. Best wishes, shiny

 

[Hedgepig]

Chasing, a little chattering, strutting - all perfectly fine behaviour. When you say attacking what do you mean exactly?

Well they were in the cage, and I just saw Caramel chase the others into a corner. She may not have been about to attack but I wondered if she was. There was a scuffle in the bed between hunny and caramel (chasing in circles) its possible she just wanted to mount her to assert dominance and wasn't going to attack but I removed her so as not to take the risk.

Did you introduce them in your existing guineas' cage? Caramel may have felt threatened by it smelling of the other pigs if so. It's worth doing introductions on neutral ground & introducing them all to a freshly cleaned cage.

I introduced them on fairly neutral ground in my bathroom. Mine dont tend to go in there. But she was already rumbling in there, I put that down to nerves. I didn;t clean out their cage, I was going too but since she seemed rather assertive I thought I wouldn't clean the cage and would leave it smelling of the others so she'd perhaps take it that they're the dominant ones and calm down. Bad idea?

 

[PAMELAKT]

Rumbling is ok try not to panic about that, and chasing to mount is also something they would need to do they have to establish the ranks. It's a scary thing to watch I know because you're so worried something will happen but you have to allow them to sort out who is boss. Keep towels handy to throw over them if anything does.

I would totally use a scrubbed clean cage with new toys etc so no one can claim anything as theirs and no scents remain. When I bonded my boys they were bonded in a totally different pen initially, then put into a brand new cage but you don't have to buy a new cage - just try and de-scent.

Try them again in a run/pen or place not usually used like you say & maybe allow them to chase & mount & do the things they need to do. With a towel handy if you really need to break anything up.

I haven't personally seen aggression in pigs, but I know they lunge & get quite nasty so it will be obvious if it isn't working.

 

[Hedgepig]

Rumbling is ok try not to panic about that, and chasing to mount is also something they would need to do they have to establish the ranks. It's a scary thing to watch I know because you're so worried something will happen but you have to allow them to sort out who is boss. Keep towels handy to throw over them if anything does.

I would totally use a scrubbed clean cage with new toys etc so no one can claim anything as theirs and no scents remain. When I bonded my boys they were bonded in a totally different pen initially, then put into a brand new cage but you don't have to buy a new cage - just try and de-scent.

Try them again in a run/pen or place not usually used like you say & maybe allow them to chase & mount & do the things they need to do. With a towel handy if you really need to break anything up.

I haven't personally seen aggression in pigs, but I know they lunge & get quite nasty so it will be obvious if it isn't working.

Yes Caramel has gone downstairs now with the others and is rumbling and mounting them. I think they need a clean out. I am gonna try that now. see if it helps

 

[PAMELAKT]

I know the mounting is awful and she will do it like crazy at first, but it really is fine. She is showing she wants to be the boss.

My new boy mounted my little guy like crazy it was horrific! But it's calmed down a lot now & while he still does it it's nowhere near as much & he takes a telling.

there will be lots of mounting for weeks unfortunately, but mounting is not aggression so it's quite a good sign really... You're doing good x

 

[Hedgepig]

I know the mounting is awful and she will do it like crazy at first, but it really is fine. She is showing she wants to be the boss.

My new boy mounted my little guy like crazy it was horrific! But it's calmed down a lot now & while he still does it it's nowhere near as much & he takes a telling.

there will be lots of mounting for weeks unfortunately, but mounting is not aggression so it's quite a good sign really... You're doing good x

Thanks, I just don't want her upsetting my others is all. They are quite timid and don't even really have a hierarchy! Hunny is older so Scampi automatically has made her leader without Hunny needing to assert any dominance at all, which is good as Hunny isn't really a dominant pig anyway. When I had her and Molly, Molly would mount her to assert dominance. When Molly died and I got Mango/Scampi Hunny didn't try to assert dominance at all! So yeah, just don't want it to stress the others really. I know mounting isn't an issue, just concerned for my other 2s welfare.