Piggie Relationship Dynamics Query

[Truffle and Coco]

Hi, hope you are well. Our two boys have an interesting(?) dynamic in their relationship and I really would appreciate some thoughts from the knowledgeable members of the forum.

Our boys are about a year old, and we have had them since August last year. After a few months they started fighting, one drew blood, and since then they have lived next to each other in hutches so they can see each other and interact. Both seem happy and content with this arrangement.

Following separation, they still had supervised floor time together twice a day, and while we have had a couple of tense moments they seem to get on okay. Over the last few months I have became increasingly convinced that they enjoy each other's company during floor time and do seem to like being together when out their cages in a neutral environment.

Now I have no intention of trying to put them back together in the same hutch, but I was curious is it possible to have two Guinea Pigs who can't live in the same hutch, but do seem to enjoy each other's company when not living together.

Is it because it is a neutral territory? Or does my daughter or myself sitting with them change the dynamic? They do seem to quite like us, and perhaps view us as another member of the herd.

It's really more curiosity than any problem that I am posting this, but any insight would be much appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, hope you are well. Our two boys have an interesting(?) dynamic in their relationship and I really would appreciate some thoughts from the knowledgeable members of the forum.

Our boys are about a year old, and we have had them since August last year. After a few months they started fighting, one drew blood, and since then they have lived next to each other in hutches so they can see each other and interact. Both seem happy and content with this arrangement.

Following separation, they still had supervised floor time together twice a day, and while we have had a couple of tense moments they seem to get on okay. Over the last few months I have became increasingly convinced that they enjoy each other's company during floor time and do seem to like being together when out their cages in a neutral environment.

Now I have no intention of trying to put them back together in the same hutch, but I was curious is it possible to have two Guinea Pigs who can't live in the same hutch, but do seem to enjoy each other's company when not living together.

Is it because it is a neutral territory? Or does my daughter or myself sitting with them change the dynamic? They do seem to quite like us, and perhaps view us as another member of the herd.

It's really more curiosity than any problem that I am posting this, but any insight would be much appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

Hi

It is the neutral space that does the trick; you are lucky to have a pair that has fallen out but not so badly to break their bond altogether - it is what I call an amicable divorce. We call them 'Can't live together and can't live apart' pairs that stay bonded through the divider but have each their own space.

Guinea pig society has two distinct levels of operation: the territorial group and the herd, which consists of a number of groups denning in the area but moving to and from their feeding grounds further apart all together to seek protection in numbers while they are at their most vulnerable. On neutral ground, that is scent-marked by all parties, herd behaviour and tolerance will apply although badly fallen-out piggies or feuding neighbours won't get on even there. Guinea pigs are wired that in a dominance dispute, the loser will move away. The problem comes when this is not an option in a pet cage; especially a small one where one of the piggies cannot move to their own separate quarters. Divided next-door living is the easiest way of solving that issue.
I hope that helps you?

Good that the shared roaming time is always only supervised. Please be aware that sudden strong hormone spikes can hit well into adulthood (until about 3 years).

 

[Truffle and Coco]

That's great thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.