Very Aggressive Female

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Pigtatoes

New Born Pup
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Hello.
I REALLY need some help. I've had guinea pigs for many years now, and never had any issues with aggression. The most recent addition to my pig family has unfortunately changed that. As time passes she just keeps becoming more aggressive, and I don't know what to do. I've looked everywhere online for this behaved, and found nothing useful.

For reference I have 3 girls, one about 7 the other around 5 and the youngest trouble maker is 3-4. They all have their own cages, but share one big open pen. They are also allowed to occasionally wander the open floor.

I got her as a baby, and she instantly bonded with one of my other two girls. They were inseparable, and one would get upset if she couldn't find/see the other. Then one day when she was a bit older, she just snapped. She was playing with both girls in the pen, then suddenly I saw her chasing her best friend around the pen and biting her. I quickly stuck my hand between them (big mistake) and she bit me so hard that when I pulled away she was still attached. I immediately separated them for a week, and after reintroducing them she did the same thing. I pulled a big wad of the other girl's fur from her mouth.

After that I keep her away from the other one, if she even smells her on my hand, she bites me or chatters her teeth. Now she just plays with the oldest, and they were getting along pretty well until recently. There was the occasional nipping, but nothing serious. Now she bites the oldest in the face and I can hear her cry when she gets bite. Sometimes they're fine and run around playing, other times she's aggressive. I really want to solve this before I have to separate them again. She needs a playmate, but I don't know what to do if she keeps attacking everyone.

I should also say she's never aggressive towards people. The only time she bites or chatters at me is after I separate them, or if I smell like the middle pig. She's also got lots of energy, never sits still when I hold her and destroys her toys pretty quickly. She's also just very strange, she's the only one I've ever heard chirping, she one time got severely distressed when I changed her cage (she wouldn't touch the new bedding and tried to climb the bars to escape it, the other girl who I used the same bedding on was totally fine). I think she's also an albino, if that helps.

I really need some help, and appreciate any suggestions. However, will not consider rehoming her, she's part of the family and here to stay no matter what. And I also can't take on a new pig right now financially. But I will gladly hear any other ideas. Thanks in advance.
 
I would recommend you have her checked by a vet. Sometimes this kind of change in behaviour can be because of a medical issue and ovarian cysts would be one such issue in a piggy of her age.

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

To add, piggies who cannot live in the same cage together, should not be put together for playtime. Her issue may not be medical (but medical always needs to be checked first), it may simply be that they do not like each other any longer., and in which case they should not be being put together. Any fight which causes injuries means they should never have physical contact with each other again.
To them, each meeting is a full on bonding session which gets interrupted by being separated into their own cages each and every time. That in itself is stressful. Piggies are either character compatible and can live together and remain together, or they cannot and in which case they must be kept separate at all times and only allowed interaction through the bars.
 
Pigtatoes said:
Hello.
I REALLY need some help. I've had guinea pigs for many years now, and never had any issues with aggression. The most recent addition to my pig family has unfortunately changed that. As time passes she just keeps becoming more aggressive, and I don't know what to do. I've looked everywhere online for this behaved, and found nothing useful.

For reference I have 3 girls, one about 7 the other around 5 and the youngest trouble maker is 3-4. They all have their own cages, but share one big open pen. They are also allowed to occasionally wander the open floor.

I got her as a baby, and she instantly bonded with one of my other two girls. They were inseparable, and one would get upset if she couldn't find/see the other. Then one day when she was a bit older, she just snapped. She was playing with both girls in the pen, then suddenly I saw her chasing her best friend around the pen and biting her. I quickly stuck my hand between them (big mistake) and she bit me so hard that when I pulled away she was still attached. I immediately separated them for a week, and after reintroducing them she did the same thing. I pulled a big wad of the other girl's fur from her mouth.

After that I keep her away from the other one, if she even smells her on my hand, she bites me or chatters her teeth. Now she just plays with the oldest, and they were getting along pretty well until recently. There was the occasional nipping, but nothing serious. Now she bites the oldest in the face and I can hear her cry when she gets bite. Sometimes they're fine and run around playing, other times she's aggressive. I really want to solve this before I have to separate them again. She needs a playmate, but I don't know what to do if she keeps attacking everyone.

I should also say she's never aggressive towards people. The only time she bites or chatters at me is after I separate them, or if I smell like the middle pig. She's also got lots of energy, never sits still when I hold her and destroys her toys pretty quickly. She's also just very strange, she's the only one I've ever heard chirping, she one time got severely distressed when I changed her cage (she wouldn't touch the new bedding and tried to climb the bars to escape it, the other girl who I used the same bedding on was totally fine). I think she's also an albino, if that helps.

I really need some help, and appreciate any suggestions. However, will not consider rehoming her, she's part of the family and here to stay no matter what. And I also can't take on a new pig right now financially. But I will gladly hear any other ideas. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Please read up on fear-agression and dominance behaviours, especially nipping and submission screaming as well as chirping and the challenges that human orientated ex-single guinea pigs face with obvious boredom behaviours. In your case, chirping is likely an expression of feeling stressed.

Be aware that guinea pigs don't do 'playtime'; every meeting is a full-on bonding meeting with all the attendant dominance behaviours. You can keep singles that fail to bond into a group as next-door neighbours will interaction through the bars but they do not share territory and they do not mingle happily.

There are no albinos in guinea pigs. Pink-eyed whites (PEWs) are a normal common breed and one that is generally rather known for being laid-back.

Here is more added information:
- Single Guinea Pigs - Challenges and Responsibilities (contains helpful information, whether you are having a single or are dealing with an ex-single)

- A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours (contains info on attention-seeking, chirping, dominance and fear-aggression with attentendant behaviours and more in-depth links)

- Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics (key behaviours and dynamics when piggies meet, with pitcures and some videos)

- Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour

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

- What-breed-are-my-guinea-pigs? Picture-guide-to-common-pet-breeds
 
I've had an aggressive girl before. She came with a friend she was fine with but when introduced to other pigs it was full-on fight mode almost from the off. She was also quite bitey with me! It's just how she was - I had her checked over and she was physically OK.

Not sure about the chasing being 'playing'. My bonded pigs don't run after each other - they trundle around following each other sometimes. Mine are all adults.

Do you older 2 pigs not live together for similar reasons? Perhaps the cages can be put next to each other so they can make contact through the bars?
 
Free Ranger said:
I've had an aggressive girl before. She came with a friend she was fine with but when introduced to other pigs it was full-on fight mode almost from the off. She was also quite bitey with me! It's just how she was - I had her checked over and she was physically OK.

Not sure about the chasing being 'playing'. My bonded pigs don't run after each other - they trundle around following each other sometimes. Mine are all adults.

Do you older 2 pigs not live together for similar reasons? Perhaps the cages can be put next to each other so they can make contact through the bars?
Click to expand...
Free Ranger said:
I've had an aggressive girl before. She came with a friend she was fine with but when introduced to other pigs it was full-on fight mode almost from the off. She was also quite bitey with me! It's just how she was - I had her checked over and she was physically OK.

Not sure about the chasing being 'playing'. My bonded pigs don't run after each other - they trundle around following each other sometimes. Mine are all adults.

Do you older 2 pigs not live together for similar reasons? Perhaps the cages can be put next to each other so they can make contact through the bars?
Click to expand...
Mine don't really chase each other, it's more that one will run around and popcorn, and the other will follow. All their cages are next to each other in the same room. My oldest was an older single pig when I adopted her, and she gets annoyed with other pigs in her space for too long. They both also have dietary issues that means they can't be fed the same things, and I have to keep a constant watch on one's droppings.
 
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