Rehoming nerves?

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Gareth Nelson

Gareth Nelson

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I rehomed a couple of 3 year old female sister guinea pigs today from someone who was unable to look after them anymore. They seemed to get on well together during the time I saw them where they were and I let them calm down and rest after the short journey and tried to introduce them to my two females (One is 1 and the other is about 4 months who got on really well.) The smaller of the two new ones got on really well with my two but the bigger of the two started with the teeth chattering, standing proud and caused a bit of a squabble between with my eldest. I seperated them and the little one calmed down and my two went back about their daily business but the larger of the new ones was still showing signs of aggression, even toward her sister who was cowering in the corner. I've taken angry pig and put her in my hospital cage away from the others and the small new pig went and made friends with my two instantly. Is this normal behaviour and will it settle when she has gotten used to the change or is she likely to be a grumpy solitary piggie? The run she is now in is huge as I built it myself and the cage they were both in before was tiny. Is she a bit lost and freightened and aggression is a coping mechanism? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would love a happy piggie pen.
 
i think maybe you should let them all calm down first. for a couple of days. and then try again and if it doesn't work, you should put the cages side by side so they can atleast see eachother. sometimes piggies get along when they're divided by cages but not when they're actually together in one cage. i hope they all settle down soon x
 
When i was bonding my boys i let them see each other through their cages for a while then i put them in a big round with a huge plate of salad for most of the day, with me keeping an eye on them and any rumbling there was i told them to pack it up lol.
It worked! They are now in a big cage with a food bowl each and water bottle each.
Always make sure they had 2 bowls, bottle's,toy's,hidey hole's etc.

Best of luck x
 
I would let the new girls settle down first before introducing them on neutral ground. Don't isolate one girl; you upset her only even more!

Some teeth chattering is to be expected; it's OK as long as there are no real and bloody fights. You will have to brace yourself that the two dominant sows will have it out between them who will be the top pig of the new group. Some bullying, chattering and rumblestrutting is absolutely normal and can last for days or even weeks. Do not interfere until there are bloody fights or one of the sows is badly bullied for any length of time; you only prolong and complicate the process.

Have a look in the boar behaviour thread at the top of this section; it works for judging sow bonding as well!

All the best to you and your four girls!
 
Vickyt you are GREAT. you give great advice and very informative! the admins/mods should think about having you as a forum buddy:))
 
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