RE; Females fighting - DEPERATELY NEED HELP!

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guineapigfan

guineapigfan

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Hello everybody :)

Around 4 months ago I bought two 8 week old guinea pigs - Sooty and Sweep. They are both female and we were told that they were housed together from a very early age (although I'm not sure if that is absoloutely true).

At first they fought with eachother and I put this down to them establishing their pecking order and, as I had hoped, the fighting settled down. Around a month ago the fighting began again with behaviours such as one trying to mount the other, chasing and wiggling their bums around! After noticing several small bites in Sooty's ear, I took them both to the vet for advice. The vet said that, often, when guinea pigs reach sexual maturity, there can be alot of fighting and this should settle down, especially as they had been getting along so well previously.

It has been several weeks since then and there was recently a new, and rather large, bite out of Sooty's ear. It is obvious that Sweep in the alpha female and is extremely territorial and dominant but I just don't know what to do anymore! I have tried seperating them but they both seem to get depressed and quiet, I have tried seperating them when we hear them fighting and added an extra sleeping area so they can be seperate if they want.

However, none of these methods are working! I really really REALLY don't want to have to seperate them permenantly as a) I just don't think they will be happy alone and b) I can't afford another cage etc. Is there any other solution? Is it even possible to introduce another guinea pig to help?

Please help me! HEEELLLP! :'(
 
I would not introduce another guinea into such an unstable pairing to be honest. You said you can't have two seperate guineas so three would be a nightmare.
Are you sure they are female? Girls do get moody and cam be bolshy but their behaviour seems extreme do they have two of everything and plenty of room for time alone if they want it?
Personally I would seperate as they are obviosly not getting along well, and pair them with other guineas of their choosing but I am lucky here with so many guineas to juggle with til they find the right friend.
 
The vet also questioned their sex but we have been assured now that they are both female*; I was suprised by their behaviour as well! They have an entire bedroom to run around and a cage they go in and out of when they please. Agh!

*Well actually, the vet said they were both definately the same sex but she thought they were both female. Is it more likely to settle if they were both to be boys?
 
If they were both boys, the mounting / purring behaviour would make more sense when they become 'teenagers' and they might sort it out and be fine or they might never settle - you just can't tell.

If they are girls - it's more unusual, I think. Girls *normally* get on slightly easier - apart from some very dominant sows. Is one bullying the other? Or are they both just as bad?

Sophie
x
 
I've never had experience with girls, but apparently boar pairings are much more unstable than girl pairings! Hay is always good for distraction and toys they can get treats from - Sally at Pampered Piggies does baked hay rolls which my boys love, you can stuff them with lovely hay and it keeps them busy - we also use other things like wicker balls - also a fantastic way to distract, natural treats (nothing with honey though as it can really rot the teeth, like those seed sticks the petshops love to sell)) simple things like lots of space and hidey holes can help.

Edited for numerous spelling mistakes ::)
 
Sounds like boys hitting ther 'hormonal hump' as i call it often when they get to 5-6months they reassert dominance if they are injuring each others ears have a good check of their backs and bottoms for bites too. They may sort it out but boar fights can turn bad quickly and the resulting injurys can be nasty. I would keep a very close eye and see what happens. Is there any way you could seperate but they are next to each other in cages if it comes to that?
Girls tend to get guinea pmt but they are not usually as bad as boys (but I have met a few exceptions that prove that rule)
any chance of pics of their 'bits' to see what gender they are?
 
Sweep definately bullies Sooty. Maybe we just got an extremely unusual moody guinea pig? Thanks for the tip about giving them more to entertain themselves. At the moment they usually have one treat type thing and a tube to play in, however, it sounds like it would be worth giving them more 'toys' to keep them amused. I have noticed that they quieten down when I have just given them some fresh hay.

I regularly check them over for other injuries but, from what I can see, Sootys one ear is the only problem area.

I will try to take some pictures of their 'bits' to help sex them although Sweep, being the rather odd guinea pig she is, has an issue with the normal holding position for checking a guinea pigs 'bits'.
 
Lorna: 'They have an entire bedroom to run around and a cage they go in and out of when they please'
 
my boys were like this and since i brought the girls home they have been amazing. They are in seperate cages but they are side by side and they get floor time together. If the have loads of space i would consider getting another very young baby to take there mind off each other. I know so many people will say am so wrong in doing this and its not the "done" thing but it has worked wonders for me. If you see blood then you will need to split them but right now i'd let them get on with it. xx
 
daftscotslass said:
Sorry... missed that bit. How big is the cage? It's the place where they feel safe so if it's too small they'll be competing for it.
Click to expand...

The cage is probably a little on the small side. After reading your suggestions I made a second cage out of a big cardboard box so now they have two areas to go in and out of should they want to. So far they've had about two scraps but it does seem a little better.

I'll keep you all updated; that you SO much for all your help and for responding so quickily :smitten:
 
Hi,
I feel for you, it's annoying when guinea pig pairings dont work out but I must admit I've only ever really had trouble with boars or two guinea pigs introduced when older. It's really unusual for two females to not get along, esp when introduced at such a young age. Sounds like you just have one extremely stroppy sow and you may have to put up with separating them on a permanent basis. If you don't want them to be alone I have found that introducing a baby sow to an older sow never gives problems because adults almost never attack a baby and a pecking order is immediately established. I have one stroppy sow, perhaps like yours but maybe not as bad! After her friend died I found it really difficult to place her with any other gps, but I now have her with a neutered boar and younger sow and that seems to work ok. I wouldnt say they love each other but certainly no fighting. sometimes if you introduce stroppy sows into a larger group, esp with a boar they have less chance to pick on individuals. but....all in all, I dont know, every gp is individual and I'm not suggesting you go buying more gps if it may make the situation worse! sorry cant be more help :(
 
Thank you for the advice!

I just thought I'd give you all a little update. My boyfriend and I made lots and lots of obstacles and toys out of card for them a few weeks ago and I also invested in a 'food ball' which is like a metal cage that you put food in and then hang from the ceiling of their enclosure. They love their new toys, especially the food ball, and I have seen a little decrease in the fighting. I have now worked up a routine which seems to gradually be working. Whenever we here a scuffle or a little fight (which is once every other day now) I seperate them for around 12 hours and then put them together again. It seems to be working!

Also, I have noticed that Sooty (the more timid of the two) has grown much more confident so I am assuming she just reached maturity a little later than Sweep. Hopefully, now that they have caught up with eachother a little, things can settle down :)
 
They sound like stroppy males! However females can be a problem, but I have never found this when they've come into the house together, usually this is triggered by having one and adding another. Let us know how it goes
 
guineapigfan said:
Thank you for the advice!

I just thought I'd give you all a little update. My boyfriend and I made lots and lots of obstacles and toys out of card for them a few weeks ago and I also invested in a 'food ball' which is like a metal cage that you put food in and then hang from the ceiling of their enclosure. They love their new toys, especially the food ball, and I have seen a little decrease in the fighting. I have now worked up a routine which seems to gradually be working. Whenever we here a scuffle or a little fight (which is once every other day now) I seperate them for around 12 hours and then put them together again. It seems to be working!

Also, I have noticed that Sooty (the more timid of the two) has grown much more confident so I am assuming she just reached maturity a little later than Sweep. Hopefully, now that they have caught up with eachother a little, things can settle down :)
Click to expand...

Aww! That's great news keep it up! O0
 
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