Squabbling girls and I dont know what to do!

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Claire K

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I have had my piggies for 2 weeks now and they are 9 weeks old.

Can anyone advise as to how long it will take them to settle their dominance squabbles please?

They are often havign a moan at each other and a head butt here and there but they are now starting to sleep in different corners of their sleeping areas and i feel that they hate each other (silly I know)

Are they simply still trying to sort themselves out or is there a problem?

Claire x
 
My girls still bum wiggle etc at each other, especially when they are in season, they get narky with each other, and they are a year old now. They rarely sleep cuddled up together, much happier with their own space, so I wouldn't worry about that, I think sometimes it's us that would just like to see them looking cute cuddled up. x
 
If there are no bloody fights going on, they SHOULD be fine, and they should get to know eathother. It takes a long time to bond guineapigs that behave like that, I know for sure {:|.

But if they do start a fight, never put your hands infront of them. And if they constantly fight, I would split them up definitely.

Oh and if they don't fight, I have some bonding tips.

Give them a bath together

Put a pile of hay in the middle of the pen, and let them eat together (that's what I do, and it seems to work!)

Hope this helps xx
 
Dominance behaviour can go on for quite some time (over a month, in fact), if you get a fairly dominant girl, and it can flare up again when one of them comes into season every two weeks, roughly.

It doesn't mean that your girls haven't bonded or that they won't become best of friends!

You just have to sit it out. It looks worse to the bystander than it does to the girls involved, as they are wired for it.
 
Definatey just leave them to it in a quiet and dark space!
My 4 where a nightmare at that age, when one of them came on heat she would just try to kill the rest. They all seemed to target the littlest - who now is in fact bigger than the rest! She ended up bleeding and sat on top of the hay rack many times in an attempt to get away.
Anyway, they where taken out, bathed, re-introduced - all went well for 5 hours then it started again....so the bad piggie was got removed!
I was really at the end of the line thinking i would have to get rid of them, but 3 months down the line they are happy together! they still get in strops with each other but will all curl up together or alone i they have fallen out!
They will defo get better, just keep an eye on them and give them time! They worried me to death for weeks but no probs at all any more, they will both become friends!
x
 
Thankyou all for your help and advice on this one - is really worries me when they have their squabbles but as you say, it probably seems worse to me than it does to them (I'm just a paranoid piggy mum).

I will keep a close eye on them and I am sure they will sort themselves out eventually!

Claire x
 
Mine two girls are the same, well one is! She purrs, wiggles her bum, headbutts the other one all the time. She sometimes purrs and wiggles when they are no where near each other. The other girlie doesn't do this, she just minds her own business.
 
Don't read it as squabbling - I prefer to call it "working out the fine print of their relationship". They are busy sorting out who is going to be top girl and how much can she get away with; that's allt here is to it, basically.

It's just a lot more demonstrative than what we humans do when we are thrown together!
 
Your comment below makes a lot of sense vicki - they dont seem to have been too bad this afternoon/evening bless them:

Don't read it as squabbling - I prefer to call it "working out the fine print of their relationship". They are busy sorting out who is going to be top girl and how much can she get away with; that's allt here is to it, basically.

By the way, both my piggies have now started to purr when i cuddle them. One of them has the need to snuggle into my neck as well for some reason!

Claire x
 
Purring is a REALLY good sign!

Many piggies prefer to hide their head (never mind their bum sticking out!) when in an open space.

I put a towel over my lap and cuddle them underneath if they're happier that way, or let them sneak up an old pullover of mine and then fall asleep on my chest. Just make sure that there might be the odd accident if a piggy relaxes too much! But it's great for bonding with them!
 
My 2 girls are over 2 years old now and they still squabble. As long as their is no blood, they'll sort it out between them.

I find it funny when I hear them having an argument - I always wonder what it was about. :))
 
My 2 girlies have been with me about 6 weeks or so....and have just now begun 'Trying to figure it out' Molly seems to be in heat as she has begun making rumbling noises when Abby comes near and just tonight tried to hump poor Abby! And of course all of the chasing! I keep getting up and watching to make sure all is ok. (first time guinea owner here!) I went on guinea lynx to check out the odd behavoir and now see it is rather normal.....thank goodness!
Hope your girls figure it all out soon!
 
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