piggies been together for five years now fighting

[PennyCopper]

Greetings from Florida, US.
My senior guinea pig (Cowboy 7 years old) has been the dominant GP to the younger one (Penny 5 years old) since we adopted them five years ago.
For the past couple of months the younger one has been lunging at the old man and causing him to teeth chatter. The younger one all of a sudden has been very bold
and aggressive toward the other.
Last night and again today I separated them because Cowboy the elder was teeth chattering so I know he is stressed out by her.
A friend said maybe it could be Penny is trying to assert dominance due to Cowboy being old now and he has arthritis and has slowed down a lot.
Maybe that is it. I want to email their vet but I usually find the best ideas and suggestions here on this forum.
Any other ideas as to what is causing this bickering behavior? It is so out of character for Penny.
Thank you!
Colleen, Cowboy, and Penny

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

I would not repeatedly separate and reintroduce them as that may make things worse and cause additional behaviours when you put them back together each time.

The first thing is to have Penny checked by the vet. (Also have Cowboy checked but as it’s Penny who has changed behaviour, please ensure she is seen). It’s these kinds of changes in behaviour which can be amongst the first symptoms to alert an owner to the fact a medical issue is brewing and that a piggy is feeling a bit grumpy/under the weather.
Lunging is a defensive behaviour rather than aggression.

I would make sure you keep on top of your routine weight checks - you can do it daily for the time being - so you can more closely monitor her hay intake (and prepare to step in with support feeding if she isn’t eating enough hay)

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

Only after you’ve looked into and ruled out a medical issue do you then look to potential problems in their bond. (However a mixed sex pair together for so long is less likely to have bond issues related to something other than a medical issue).

Bonds In Trouble

 

[Wiebke]

Greetings from Florida, US.
My senior guinea pig (Cowboy 7 years old) has been the dominant GP to the younger one (Penny 5 years old) since we adopted them five years ago.
For the past couple of months the younger one has been lunging at the old man and causing him to teeth chatter. The younger one all of a sudden has been very bold
and aggressive toward the other.
Last night and again today I separated them because Cowboy the elder was teeth chattering so I know he is stressed out by her.
A friend said maybe it could be Penny is trying to assert dominance due to Cowboy being old now and he has arthritis and has slowed down a lot.
Maybe that is it. I want to email their vet but I usually find the best ideas and suggestions here on this forum.
Any other ideas as to what is causing this bickering behavior? It is so out of character for Penny.
Thank you!
Colleen, Cowboy, and Penny

Hi

Please leave them as neighbours. Lunging is always a defensive 'stay out of my space' warning.
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs


The changes can be due to:
- Hostile takeover of leadership
- Ovarian cysts in Penny
- Combination thereof
- Other health problem

Please have her vet checked. Fall-outs in bonded mixed gender pairs are very rare but it is often ovarian cysts that are at the bottom of sudden behavioural changes in adult sows. Underlying tensions can also often come to the fore when leadership becomes contested due to old age, illness or loss of the original leader or peacemaker in a group and they can lead to a pair/group becoming dysfunctional and falling apart.

I had one of my groups fall completely out with each other after the old dominant patriarch could no longer hold the lead and an agreement for the next leader could not be reached. I ended up with two pairs and a single. The single promptly dumped her rescue-dated young hubby a few hours into arriving back home but thankfully her mum took one look at the newbie and fell hard whereas her daugher grudgingly went back with the old boar and then stayed single for 10 months after his passing before bonding with another older bereaved peru diva over having the same outlook...

All the best.

 

[PennyCopper]

Thank you so much for your reply. I can’t believe it! I really thought they would be happy together forever. I’ll get Penny to the vet as soon as I can and keep them separate. When separated they act like they miss each other so I end up letting them both out together. I really appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

 

[PennyCopper]

Thank you so much for your reply. I can’t believe it! I really thought they would be happy together forever. I’ll get Penny to the vet as soon as I can and keep them separate. When separated they act like they miss each other so I end up letting them both out together. I really appreciate your feedback. Thank you.

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[PennyCopper]

I’m sorry to hear this.

I would not repeatedly separate and reintroduce them as that may make things worse and cause additional behaviours when you put them back together each time.

The first thing is to have Penny checked by the vet. (Also have Cowboy checked but as it’s Penny who has changed behaviour, please ensure she is seen). It’s these kinds of changes in behaviour which can be amongst the first symptoms to alert an owner to the fact a medical issue is brewing and that a piggy is feeling a bit grumpy/under the weather.
Lunging is a defensive behaviour rather than aggression.

I would make sure you keep on top of your routine weight checks - you can do it daily for the time being - so you can more closely monitor her hay intake (and prepare to step in with support feeding if she isn’t eating enough hay)

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

Only after you’ve looked into and ruled out a medical issue do you then look to potential problems in their bond. (However a mixed sex pair together for so long is less likely to have bond issues related to something other than a medical issue).

Bonds In Trouble

Wow, great information. It is tough to keep them separated. I feel bad like they are being punished. But I guess being separate might actually reduce their stress. I will get her to the vet ASAP. Thank you so much for your time and