Teema
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi everyone, long story short I have had my girl Penny for around six years, she has bonded perfectly with her last two cagemates (one girl Poppy who passed away sadly and then later Thomas who has also unfortunately passed away). We decided she needed a friend once again and adopted a sow, Pipsqueak, from the SSPCA. We have now had Pip for about six weeks and her and Penny have gotten really close recently and are really getting along nicely.
We decided since we have the space to take another rescue sow in this week, Pepper. Pepper arrived this afternoon and I am in the process of bonding however, Pepper is showing lots of aggression possibly? She has nipped/lunged at Penny a few times causing Penny to squeal and cower/duck, she has then done the same to Pipsqueak. Not a lot of rumble strutting or teeth chattering happening, Pepper is really keen on sniffing the two girls back ends but the girls don’t seem to be doing it to her. The girls aren’t showing aggression toward her just Pepper, the newcomer, to them.
Pepper continually seemed to lick at Penny’s ear at one point, eventually Penny lay down, she then did the same to Pip but only for a short time and went back to Penny licking and almost snuggling under her chin….this then caused Pip and Penny, already bonded, to get a little snappy at each other?!
Is this normal? It really seems vicious and I’m so worried as Pip was really timid when we got her and I don’t want her to lose her confidence and Penny is my little old lady I do not want her getting hurt.
Obviously they are supervised, they are on neutral ground together with just hay and water as advised, perhaps I have always just been lucky with my guinea pigs before that they have always bonded quickly and calmly but I have never seen aggression like this before, I understand it could just be a normal bonding behaviour but it was causing both Pip and Penny to squeal and cower.
I really want this to work out, Pepper came into a rescue as a stray and she’s a lovely wee thing I want to give her the best chance at fitting in with my girls and having a good home.
I’m a little stressed I won’t lie, it’s been a long day and I naively assumed that we would bond all three easily as Penny has matched with everyone she has ever met and Pip is a sweet, shy little thing I just presumed she would go with the flow, Pepper certainly has character.
We decided since we have the space to take another rescue sow in this week, Pepper. Pepper arrived this afternoon and I am in the process of bonding however, Pepper is showing lots of aggression possibly? She has nipped/lunged at Penny a few times causing Penny to squeal and cower/duck, she has then done the same to Pipsqueak. Not a lot of rumble strutting or teeth chattering happening, Pepper is really keen on sniffing the two girls back ends but the girls don’t seem to be doing it to her. The girls aren’t showing aggression toward her just Pepper, the newcomer, to them.
Pepper continually seemed to lick at Penny’s ear at one point, eventually Penny lay down, she then did the same to Pip but only for a short time and went back to Penny licking and almost snuggling under her chin….this then caused Pip and Penny, already bonded, to get a little snappy at each other?!
Is this normal? It really seems vicious and I’m so worried as Pip was really timid when we got her and I don’t want her to lose her confidence and Penny is my little old lady I do not want her getting hurt.
Obviously they are supervised, they are on neutral ground together with just hay and water as advised, perhaps I have always just been lucky with my guinea pigs before that they have always bonded quickly and calmly but I have never seen aggression like this before, I understand it could just be a normal bonding behaviour but it was causing both Pip and Penny to squeal and cower.
I really want this to work out, Pepper came into a rescue as a stray and she’s a lovely wee thing I want to give her the best chance at fitting in with my girls and having a good home.
I’m a little stressed I won’t lie, it’s been a long day and I naively assumed that we would bond all three easily as Penny has matched with everyone she has ever met and Pip is a sweet, shy little thing I just presumed she would go with the flow, Pepper certainly has character.
