Trying to verify both my pigs are female

[ChuiDuma]

Hello, and thanks in advance for any help! I recently got two guinea pigs from one of my partner's coworkers. Their mother and her babies were rescues. She said these last two (they're siblings) were both female, and from what I'm told she has a lot of experience with them. I have some basic experience caring for them, but it was when I worked at a pet store and I've never had to sex them before. They were six weeks old when she told us they were both female (I'm not sure when she checked or if she verified again after this point), two months when I got them, and they're now about three months old. I'm trying to verify they're both female because one of them (Bacon) has taken to rumble strutting all over and following the other one (Pork Chop) around. It first started about a week ago and in the last day or so it's pretty constant. Bacon struts around and Pork Chop just goes about her business and walks away. There have been a couple times where it looked like Bacon was going to try mounting, but Pork Chop hasn't allowed it.

I know this could just be dominance behavior, but I'm not sure how common it is for guinea pigs to do, especially when they've lived together their whole lives. I'll feel better if someone can help me to verify their sexes, and if anyone has insight into the behavior if they're both female I'll appreciate that, too.

I'll add photos in a reply to this, because I can't figure out how to upload it in this one.

 

[ChuiDuma]

The one with more tan on the belly is Bacon (the one strutting). The other one is Pork Chop.

I can try to take more photos if you can tell me what you need to see better.

Thanks again for any help!

 

[Wiebke]

The one with more tan on the belly is Bacon (the one strutting). The other one is Pork Chop.

I can try to take more photos if you can tell me what you need to see better.

Thanks again for any help!

Hi and welcome

Good on you to have a safety check!

You have two of the same but could you please pry apart the slit so we can see inside? The gender difference is mcu more pronounced. I cannot call safely three distinct gender markings, which is the standard I judge by without direct access to a piggy.

Have a look at our reference pictures in the Sexing guide, which include slit pictures:

Thread 'Illustrated Sexing Guide'

Feb 18, 2018

1 How to Sex a Guinea Pig
- When do I need to check the sex?
- How do I make sure that I have got the gender 100% right?
- What are the secondary areas that require a hands-on check?
(Nipples - Penis ridge - Testicles & Castration - Slit: What to check in sows and in boars)
2 How to Sex Babies after Birth and at Separation Age
- Newborn boar and sow (genitals)
- 2 weeks old boar and sow (genitals and slit)
3...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Sexing Corner

• 

Thread 'Practical Tips for Good Sexing Pictures and Hands-on Checks'

Oct 27, 2024

- Tips for taking crisp and clear pictures of genitalia
- Why do we need pictures of the inside of the slit as well (second sexing component)?
- Penis and penis shaft: The hands-on component
- Useless for gendering: Nipples and mounting
- Our 3 gender markers rule
- Please try yourself first but ask us for confirmation
- Comparison pictures (outside and slit)
- Our second opinion service
- Posting pictures of several piggies at once


Tips for taking crisp and clear pictures of genitalia
- If possible...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Sexing Corner

 

[ChuiDuma]

Here are three more of Bacon and one of Pork Chop. I do believe Pork Chop is female. I went through the guide repeatedly before asking for help, because they looked a little different to me. Bacon looked more swollen, I guess? Though I suppose that could be because of their color differences.

 

[Wiebke]

Here are three more of Bacon and one of Pork Chop. I do believe Pork Chop is female. I went through the guide repeatedly before asking for help, because they looked a little different to me. Bacon looked more swollen, I guess? Though I suppose that could be because of their color differences.

Thank you very much - those are definitely two girls!

I would love to see how they look in pigson... They must be little cuties! So great of you to take them on.

 

[ChuiDuma]

Thank you so much for your help! I just realized I have almost no pictures of them, but tons of videos! I pulled some screen shots, though, and had a pic my partner took of me holding Pork Chop when traumatizing them for their photo shoot today.

Bacon is mostly black and brown, and Pork Chop has the white blaze on her face and across her back. Here are some pictures of them fighting over the same piece of lettuce (because obviously it must be the BEST piece if my sister is eating it!), and of Bacon claiming all the Timmy hay for herself!

(Yes, I call it Timmy hay... I have called it that since working at the pet store because the small animals that were there longer started to recognize "Timmy hay" when I said it)

 

[ChuiDuma]

Oh, also, is there any particular reason Bacon might be rumble strutting so much? Is she just more dominant? I'm guessing it's common for siblings to behave like this toward one another? They have no issues getting along and seem very happy with each other.

 

[Wiebke]

Oh, also, is there any particular reason Bacon might be rumble strutting so much? Is she just more dominant? I'm guessing it's common for siblings to behave like this toward one another? They have no issues getting along and seem very happy with each other.

Hi

What little cuties!

It takes about two weeks for guinea pigs to establish a working hierarchical group in any new territory. You will experience dominance behaviours during that period; the more the more insecure a leader is - and yours are still babies looking for guidance, actually.
Rumble-strutting is the mildest of dominance behaviours. In sows it means just throwing your weight as a leader around but you can also get it sometimes when a sow is coming up to s season or experiencing a stronger hormone spike.

Our sow guide has helpful chapters on how sow dominance and seasons manifest.

Thread 'Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)'

Feb 26, 2019

1 Sexing on arrival
2 Important reproductive Facts
- Start of making babies - seasons - lack of menopause
- Pregnancy
3 Sows in season
- How a season runs
- Strong seasons (snap seasons; the social role of strong seasons; problem seasons)
4 Behaviour and social aspects
- Bonding (Possible combos; acceptance and dating; special bonding aspects)
-...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

We have also got a very helpful New Owners guide collection into which coming up to 20 years of collective forum experience with literally tens and tens of thousands of questions and up to half a century of personal ownership experience with some of us have all gone into. That is why our guides are so practical; we have included all the most common stumbling blocks for new owners already...

You may want to bookmark this link here, especially as you are in a different time zone to our UK based forum. Browse, read and reread at need as you will pick up on different aspects at different levels of experience.

Thread 'New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection'

Apr 10, 2022

Contents Overview
1 What This Collection Is About
2 Guinea Pigs as Pets
- Family and Classroom Pets
- Sourcing Your Guinea Pigs, Common Pitfalls and Your Customer Rights
- Human Pet Anxiety: Practical Tips for Sufferers and Supporters
- Naming and Finding Out the Breed
- Guinea Pig Facts: An Overview
3 Living Environment
- Housing (with sourcing tips)
- Bedding (with...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 8
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

 

[CTWC]

They are both so lovely

 

[Claire W]

Aw what a beautiful pair of little girls you have

 

[ChuiDuma]

Hi

What little cuties!

It takes about two weeks for guinea pigs to establish a working hierarchical group in any new territory. You will experience dominance behaviours during that period; the more the more insecure a leader is - and yours are still babies looking for guidance, actually.
Rumble-strutting is the mildest of dominance behaviours. In sows it means just throwing your weight as a leader around but you can also get it sometimes when a sow is coming up to s season or experiencing a stronger hormone spike.

Our sow guide has helpful chapters on how sow dominance and seasons manifest.

Thread 'Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)'

Feb 26, 2019

1 Sexing on arrival
2 Important reproductive Facts
- Start of making babies - seasons - lack of menopause
- Pregnancy
3 Sows in season
- How a season runs
- Strong seasons (snap seasons; the social role of strong seasons; problem seasons)
4 Behaviour and social aspects
- Bonding (Possible combos; acceptance and dating; special bonding aspects)
-...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Behaviour, Bonds and Species Understanding

• 

We have also got a very helpful New Owners guide collection into which coming up to 20 years of collective forum experience with literally tens and tens of thousands of questions and up to half a century of personal ownership experience with some of us have all gone into. That is why our guides are so practical; we have included all the most common stumbling blocks for new owners already...

You may want to bookmark this link here, especially as you are in a different time zone to our UK based forum. Browse, read and reread at need as you will pick up on different aspects at different levels of experience.

Thread 'New Owners' Essential Information and Practical Tips Starter Collection'

Apr 10, 2022

Contents Overview
1 What This Collection Is About
2 Guinea Pigs as Pets
- Family and Classroom Pets
- Sourcing Your Guinea Pigs, Common Pitfalls and Your Customer Rights
- Human Pet Anxiety: Practical Tips for Sufferers and Supporters
- Naming and Finding Out the Breed
- Guinea Pig Facts: An Overview
3 Living Environment
- Housing (with sourcing tips)
- Bedding (with...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 8
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

Thanks for all your help! I have been going through all the guides on the forums, and there is certainly a lot of it to comb through and I have barely scratched the surface. I figured I would ask just because I hadn't seen much on the topic regarding siblings, and because I've already had them for over a month and they seem to have settled into their new home. I wasn't sure how normal it was for sisters who have been together all their (short) lives, after settling in to the new environment. It makes sense that their dynamic might shift as they're growing up, though, so your response was actually the exact insight I was hoping for.

So again, thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate it!

 

[Merab]

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for all your help! I have been going through all the guides on the forums, and there is certainly a lot of it to comb through and I have barely scratched the surface. I figured I would ask just because I hadn't seen much on the topic regarding siblings, and because I've already had them for over a month and they seem to have settled into their new home. I wasn't sure how normal it was for sisters who have been together all their (short) lives, after settling in to the new environment. It makes sense that their dynamic might shift as they're growing up, though, so your response was actually the exact insight I was hoping for.

So again, thanks for all of your help. I really appreciate it!

There is nothing like sisters for life-long scrapping - even more so during teenage - if you ask me... I've had quite a few sister pairs and trios over the years. The sibling rivalry seems to be much stronger if they have been together since birth. But what you are experiencing is on the mild and very normal side.

We are here for all the little questions as well as the big problems; that is why we take such care to keep this a friendly and supportive place. Pet keeping is an ongoing learning curve on which we all are, including me. I am still learning new stuff as well all the time. We are all still on the same journey and can all help each other better by acknowledging that.

 

[Posyrose]

What cuties you have

 

[Bill & Ted]

What beautiful girls you have and good on you for taking them in and giving them their best life