New Guinea pigs - possible bullying!?

[MissMetal]

Hi there,
I just joined today and was after some advice please.
We brought 2 female Guinea pigs home today (Kevin & Nico - our 6yr old named them), pet shop said roughly 7 weeks old. They’ve been getting on fine and the journey home they were snuggled up together. We put them in their new house as advised and they had a little look round then Kevin went in one side and Nico the other and they stayed separate for a good few hours. Then we noticed them venturing out but Kevin appeared to be bullying Nico, chasing her, right up behind her, to and fro across the house, with very loud squeaking from Nico we think and a sort of chuddering sound from Kevin. They then went to their opposite sides of the house. Since then we have seen them both snuggling together, sharing food from the same bowl and what looked like giving kisses. A little while later there was another scuffle but Nico stood her ground, then a little later again and poor Nico was being chased to and fro, with the loud squeaking and chuddering noises. They are however both snuggled together currently.
Is this behaviour normal as it was quite alarming to see, especially for our daughter?
Thanks in advance for any advice given.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

First, please do check that they are both definitely female. Unfortunately we see a lot of missexing in piggies bought from pet shops and breeders.

When piggies move to a new environment, they go into a period of reestablishing their relationship (even if they have always been together). This will result in dominance behaviours - the chuddering (rumblestrutting), chasing etc. The loud squeaking from Nico is submission and is absolutely what you want tk hear - she is telling Kevin that she knows her place in the hierarchy.
None of this is bullying.
(Bullying is a sustained behaviour where one piggy will never be allowed to eat so can lose weight, never allowed to rest due to constant harassment by the dominant piggy, become withdrawn and depressed).

Ensure their cage is large enough, 150x60cm is the recommended size for two sows (but 120x60cm as a minimum), and that you have two of every item in the cage. Also ensure all hides have two doors. Any single exit hides can pose a problem and risk defensive injuries if one piggy gets cornered inside it by the other.

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection

 

[Mon59]

Well. You will get expert advice . Which I am not
but..
I got 4 girls of different ages from 2-4 months because I thought girls would be more genial. They were kept together from the breeder. About 6 weeks ago. The eldest was such a nightmare I considered getting rid of her in the first 2 weeks.
stealing food from everyone
attempting to mount
general bullying I thought.
terrible crying from the youngest.

the worst thing was the youngest got it every time, and I sympathise with you daughter finding it frightening.

the only thing is there seems to be a dominant sow and being submissive seems to avoid a fight (so far).

still learning but peace does break out more lately.

good luck and it does get better. Once your daughter realises she will be less alarmed..

 

[Mon59]

The comment about hides is very relevant.

I got Amazon boxes and had to cut more doors. Being cornered is the worst thing.

imagine if you had 4 ? Mine are in a very large cage but if one follows the other into a house with no exit there is a terrible scuffle.

 

[MissMetal]

Thank you so much for your advice.
We have a good size 2-storey house with run (135x115cm) for our little piggies. Our hides unfortunately only have one door so we will rectify that in the morning.
It’s very reassuring to hear that Kevin and Nico are behaving as they should and puts my mind at rest.
It’s good to know help and advice is on hand here when needed x

 

[MissMetal]

The comment about hides is very relevant.

I got Amazon boxes and had to cut more doors. Being cornered is the worst thing.

imagine if you had 4 ? Mine are in a very large cage but if one follows the other into a house with no exit there is a terrible scuffle.

Thank you. We will rectify the hides problem and add another door to each one.

 

[MissMetal]

Welcome to the forum

First, please do check that they are both definitely female. Unfortunately we see a lot of missexing in piggies bought from pet shops and breeders.

When piggies move to a new environment, they go into a period of reestablishing their relationship (even if they have always been together). This will result in dominance behaviours - the chuddering (rumblestrutting), chasing etc. The loud squeaking from Nico is submission and is absolutely what you want tk hear - she is telling Kevin that she knows her place in the hierarchy.
None of this is bullying.
(Bullying is a sustained behaviour where one piggy will never be allowed to eat so can lose weight, never allowed to rest due to constant harassment by the dominant piggy, become withdrawn and depressed).

Ensure their cage is large enough, 150x60cm is the recommended size for two sows (but 120x60cm as a minimum), and that you have two of every item in the cage. Also ensure all hides have two doors. Any single exit hides can pose a problem and risk defensive injuries if one piggy gets cornered inside it by the other.

Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection

Thank you so much. We have been reassured they are both female but I will get a second opinion.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you so much for your advice.
We have a good size 2-storey house with run (135x115cm) for our little piggies. Our hides unfortunately only have one door so we will rectify that in the morning.
It’s very reassuring to hear that Kevin and Nico are behaving as they should and puts my mind at rest.
It’s good to know help and advice is on hand here when needed x

There is always somebody online to answer questions!

Is that the measurement for the run?
Is it indoors where they can have access to the run at all times?

Being two storey does not double floor space (piggies are ground roaming and prefer living on a single level) so it needs to be 10 square feet on the bottom level only with permanent access to a space of that size (a hutch with a run underneath if it is outside doesn’t count and the hutch doesn’t meet the 150x60cm measurement)

 

[MissMetal]

There is always somebody online to answer questions!

Is that the measurement for the run?
Is it indoors where they can have access to the run at all times?

Being two storey does not double floor space (piggies are ground roaming and prefer living on a single level) so it needs to be 10 square feet on the bottom level only with permanent access to a space of that size (a hutch with a run underneath if it is outside doesn’t count and the hutch doesn’t meet the 150x60cm measurement)

The hutch (top storey) is 135x60 and the run underneath is 135x115. They are indoors and have full access at all times.

 

[Piggies&buns]

The hutch (top storey) is 135x60 and the run underneath is 135x115. They are indoors and have full access at all times.

Thats excellent they can have access all the time because the hutch itself is a little on the small side for them to be shut into so if it was outside (when they couldn’t use the run at all during winter) then space related bickering may become an issue for some pairs.

It will take a couple of weeks for them to settle their hierarchy, but you will also likely see an increase in dominance and rumbling when they are in season (which occurs every 15-17 days).

 

[MissMetal]

Thats excellent they can have access all the time because the hutch itself is a little on the small side for them to be shut into so if it was outside (when they couldn’t use the run at all during winter) then space related bickering may become an issue for some pairs.

It will take a couple of weeks for them to settle their hierarchy, but you will also likely see an increase in dominance and rumbling when they are in season (which occurs every 15-17 days).

Goodness, being in season happens a lot, I hadn’t realised. Would it be advisable to have them neutered/spayed? Not sure what the term is for Guinea pigs sorry.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Goodness, being in season happens a lot, I hadn’t realised. Would it be advisable to have them neutered/spayed? Not sure what the term is for Guinea pigs sorry.

Spaying is generally only done if a medical need arises ie if they get reproductive problems such as ovarian cysts (which may (or may not!) occur in sows from around 2 years of age). Spaying is not usually routinely done in female guinea pigs for any other reason due to it being such an invasive surgery.

 

[MissMetal]

Spaying is generally only done if a medical need arises ie if they get reproductive problems such as ovarian cysts (which may (or may not!) occur in sows from around 2 years of age). Spaying is not usually routinely done in female guinea pigs for any other reason due to it being such an invasive surgery.

Thank you. We’ll just see how they go then and keep our fingers crossed.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you. We’ll just see how they go then and keep our fingers crossed.

Some sows seasons pass without you even noticing, but it’s always worth keeping in mind if you see an increase in dominance then it may be because they are in season