Very Worried! Please Help!

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Squeaky_Ewok

Squeaky_Ewok

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello, I am starting to really worry about my piggies. For about three days now there has been a lot of chasing and mounting normally it calms down down by now but they are out for a run and Tinsel the younger boar who is about 8 months old now constantly chasing him and mounting. Gi Gi is almost two years and the boss pig. I got Tinsel sixth months ago and I know younger pigs can have hormonal spikes I'm just wondering if I should be worried? There is a lot squeaking and some nipping at each other. No blood shed as of yet. Touch wood. Is Tinsel nearing his last hormonal periods? When is a guinea pig a full adult? Any advice you can give me to calm my worrying down would help! haha xD
 
Eeeek, how scary for you, do you have towels and oven gloves at the ready in case the agression escalates? X
 
Goth Mummy said:
Eeeek, how scary for you, do you have towels and oven gloves at the ready in case the agression escalates? X
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Well I've just put them back in their cage newly cleaned as and cleaned as normal and it just seemed to get worse, a lot of biting no blood but Tinsel just seemed very angry. So I've put him in the carrier until I can get the other cage cleaned out for tonight is probably the best thing I think? But I have no idea what else to do :/
 
;( I know this sounds daft but when you clean the cage do you leave a bit of their old hay/bedding in the cage. I have recently discovered it stops mine from mounting and teeth chattering. I am sure I read it somewhere they don't think it's a "new cage" there so it doesn't cause the Same dominance issues they get when in a new environment.
 
I read somewhere too about dominance behaviour in a new environment... I think what's happening is pretty normal just the top pig reminding the lower pig whose boss, keep an ear and eye out if it escalates but it should calm down.
 
Julie M said:
;( I know this sounds daft but when you clean the cage do you leave a bit of their old hay/bedding in the cage. I have recently discovered it stops mine from mounting and teeth chattering. I am sure I read it somewhere they don't think it's a "new cage" there so it doesn't cause the Same dominance issues they get when in a new environment.
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Well when I do a full clean I tend to get everything up except the fleece I put on their ramp which is covered in their scents :/ I use a spray for the rest but not much they've never reacted like that before. He's back in with gi gi now after a time out should I say and both are sleeping for now but ahh shocked and upset me tonight :(
 
Jess said:
I read somewhere too about dominance behaviour in a new environment... I think what's happening is pretty normal just the top pig reminding the lower pig whose boss, keep an ear and eye out if it escalates but it should calm down.
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Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm still wondering if it is because Tinsel is at an age where maybe it's a hormonal spike but a bad one he's had time like this before but not this aggressive and for that long. GiGi the top pig seemed a bit overwhelmed as well which is what upset me :/ ahh panic panic haha
 
I had two boys that were like this, it is very frightening. You need to watch it doesn't escalate to biting if it does you will need to seperate them, however, don't be too hasty in seperating as this can make things worse if you put them back intogether. I'm sure somebody with more experience than me will answer this soon. Good luck and try not to worry too much. If you do try to seperate a fight don't do this with your hands, use a towel or oven gloves as the above post says, they may mistake your hand for the other pig.
 
Squeaky_Ewok said:
Thanks for the advice everyone, I'm still wondering if it is because Tinsel is at an age where maybe it's a hormonal spike but a bad one he's had time like this before but not this aggressive and for that long. GiGi the top pig seemed a bit overwhelmed as well which is what upset me :/ ahh panic panic haha
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If it gets bad and you're worried I would suggest separating... Hopefully it has more to do with the clean cage than hormones
 
Can you give them more space so they can get away from each other? and do they have enough hideys etc. for at least one each - and same with food bowls and hay etc.? so they don't feel like they have to share unless they want to. This might help reduce any confrontations they might otherwise have.

If you are watching them then from a previous experience of transporting a group of girls out of a rescue situation an early warning sign of issues can be if they start yawning widely at each other - it's like saying "look how big my teeth are". I hope things calm down soon, and it's just an unusual few days.
 
Sherlocksmum said:
Can you give them more space so they can get away from each other? and do they have enough hideys etc. for at least one each - and same with food bowls and hay etc.? so they don't feel like they have to share unless they want to. This might help reduce any confrontations they might otherwise have.

If you are watching them then from a previous experience of transporting a group of girls out of a rescue situation an early warning sign of issues can be if they start yawning widely at each other - it's like saying "look how big my teeth are". I hope things calm down soon, and it's just an unusual few days.
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Thanks for the advice! Yeah they have two of everything, water bottles, bowls, hide aways and I haven't seen any of that yawning. There was some teeth chattering which has never happened when it comes to Tinsel doing it to Gi Gi. So that's when I separated them today they seem to be a lot calmer, the usual rumble strutting from Gi Gi so hopefully no more fighting xD They also have a top level so they can get away from each other :) Thank you again.
 
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