Not Sisterly Love

Cuddles With Cavies

Cuddles With Cavies

Junior Guinea Pig
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I feel a bit silly posting this but I was worried and just thought I’d ask.

I’ve got two sows who are sisters, from the exact same litter. They’re about a year old now and I’ve had them since they were about 10 weeks. They’ve never had any manor fights or scuffles, just the regular dominance, but they just don’t seem to like each other very much. They have a 2x9 C&C and they are always at opposite ends. They never sit together, never cuddle up together. If one dares to go into the others house they’re chased back out and to the other end of the cage. For anything it’s like I’m caring for two separate piggies.

They’re not fighting. But I just feel sad for them. I’ve had several piggy pairs before now who’ve adored each other and always cuddled up next to each other.

Is there anything I can do to nurture their relationship? Do you think it’s just an age thing? Although they’ve never spent much time together, even when they were younger.

Thanks for reading.
 
It’s not common for piggies to cuddle up together - most piggies actually won’t.
It’s also normal for them to not to want to share houses - the dominant getting their pick of the favourite.

So, unless you see signs of bullying (can be a bit harder to spot in sows), fights (less common in sows), or general displeasure signs (air puffing, loud chattering, lots of chasing) then they are actually most likely ok together.

There is nothing you can do for their relationship. It’s literally a case of they either get on or they don’t.

I’ve added in the bonds in trouble guide for you to read to check whether there are any warning signs between them

Wiebke

Thread 'Bonds In Trouble'

1 Causes for bonds to fall apart
2 Bonds in Crisis
- What are the signs of a dysfunctional bond?
- Bullying
- How can I test whether a bond is no longer working?
3 Failed bonds and what next?
- What to do if my piggies have had a major fight?
- When rebonding doesn't work out


1 Causes for bonds to fall apart

Every fall-out has of course its own...
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Don’t feel silly ….we all have these questions about our piggies and that is the wonderful basis of this group …we can ask anything and there is always someone who can advise, has experience of or just knows the answer.
It sounds like they’re enjoying their space ….knowing there is another piggy there….companionship from a distance 🥰
Don’t worry I think they’re piggies just being piggies ❤️❤️
We love seeing photos of piggies …so if you could post some …what are your sows called ?
 
Hi and welcome

We are the right place to ask all these questions because your concerns are not at all silly. They very often stem from the human interest driven but entirely unrealistic picture that is being portrayed on social media.

Piggies are people. They are personalities that are wired to live in groups (ideally small sow-based related groups that bring up their babies together with the dad boar (who they choose, not the other way round). Like in human families you get all sorts of interpersonal dynamics. Sisters can often be quite squabbly and competitive but you also get the ambitious career types, the super-mums, the social enablers etc. - in essence, piggies are not really all that different from the human range of personalities; and the longer I have had them (half a century by now), the more I start translating human personalities into piggy ones. The more insecure a new leader is in themselves, the stronger the dominance. It is going to settle. If you wish, it is essentially masking behaviour. :D

It's totally fascinating but it is not what most people want to see or post about and it can therefore really throw you.

Guinea pig groups are hierarchical and they are territorial, which most people don't know. They are however not like rats who sleep together in nests. Piggies generally prefer their own little nook and cranny in the denning area. Even the most devoted of them will spend time apart.

Group establishment takes about 2 week for both the hierarchy and the territory - afresh with each change. During this time you will experience normal dominance which should get less with each passing day, except for the first stronger seasons when you have got sows; the stronger experience helps to cement the new bond.

Wiebke

Thread 'Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)'

1 Sexing on arrival
2 Important reproductive Facts
- Start of making babies - seasons - lack of menopause
- Pregnancy
3 Sows in season
- How a season runs
- Strong seasons (snap seasons; the social role of strong seasons; problem seasons)
4 Behaviour and social aspects
- Bonding (Possible combos; acceptance and dating; special bonding aspects)
-...
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Wiebke

Thread 'A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours'

1 Introduction
2 Entries in alphabetical order
A
- Attention seeking and begging
B
- Back foot swipe
- Barbering (eating hair)
- Bar biting and rattling
- Begging: see Attention seeking
- 'Biting' Behaviours: Biting, Nibbling, Nipping, Tweaking
- Body language
- Border watch/lie-in
- Bullying
- Bum digging: see Poo stealing
-...
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Wiebke

Thread 'The Herd, the Group and I: Investigating Guinea Pig Identity and Society'

Introduction
1 A Look at Social Identity
- Identity and Self-awareness
- Herd and Group: Juggling social identities
2 Herd Behaviours
- On the move
- Shared herd feeding
3 The Group and I
- Group identity vs. individual identity
- Group establishment and affirmation
- Use of the denning...

Take a deep breath, try to spot key behaviours and just watch. There is nothing to worry about. Everything is within the normal range for you. It is just you meeting reality.

We are always here for any questions, understanding, practical tips and support.
 
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Guinea pigs generally like their personal space! There are some that like to sleep close to each other or even cuddle, but that's actually pretty abnormal behaviour, not the other way around. They all have different personalities and dynamics.

But it sounds a bit like your piggies are barely interacting outside of asserting dominance - are they having any friendly or neutral interactions at a distance? Like exploring something new together, eating hay at the same time (not necessarily close to each other), chutting when walking around, sometimes sleeping within sight of each other (even if there is some distance), being active at the same time, being more courageous when the other is around, learning from each other (like whether a new vegetable is safe to eat) or even just mild dominance behaviours like raising their head without it escalating into a bigger show of dominance? Not fighting is the minimum, but your piggies should be able to express a full range of social behaviour with one another.

I do get your concern, and I have seen similar things in some constellations we've had. There are some piggie pairings that are bonded okay, but they just seem a bit disengaged and not as active and lively as they could be, even in the long term and post-puberty. If you haven't seen them in other constellations, there is no way of knowing whether they genuinely both like living that way, or if their personalities just don't mesh well (whether or not they're siblings is pretty irrelevant for this by the way). If they find each other just tolerable enough, they will still be okay of course, but you may be stuck wondering if they're truly living their best lives. You can definitely wait out puberty (up to a bit over a year) like others have suggested to see if the dynamic changes, but I also have another suggestion.

If you have enough space, you could consider adding another guinea pig. Adding another piggie sounds like a counterintuitive solution, but I have seen it do wonders in a situation exactly like yours. This is definitely a bit risky, as it could disturb their dynamic, but having another potential friend around may make both of them a lot happier than they are now. With two sows, a neutered boar would probably be easiest to bond. In groups, piggies need to navigate more nuanced hierarchies than in pairs, so they exhibit a boader range of their natural social behaviours. A third makes a big difference for this, there's just more going on. As an added bonus, improved social skills mean that they will be easier to bond with others if the need ever arises. And if one dies suddenly, you don't need to deal with bereavement and bonding at the same time. This is why some shelters now recommend small groups over pairs, at least for harems and sow groups.
 
Also, don't ever feel bad for asking questions like this! Group dynamics and social behaviours are so important, and it's often much harder to find information that applies to your circumstances
 
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