What Are My Girls Doing? 1st Time Bonding

[npcout]

So, it is time to bond cookie with her new sister. Cookie is 1 year old, xena is 5 weeks.

Initial Introduction: Neutral territory, xena was wheeking like crazy, cookie was excited, they curled up in a ball and did move. No teeth chattering, no squealing, zero aggression, it was PERFECT.

Now, in the pen, they lay by each other. Every now and then if xena goes to do something, cookie will chase her and bite/nip her. Cookie tries to walk on top of xena, and xena will squeal. There has been NO teeth chattering, rumbling, nothing. Cookie either chases and nips xena, or just nips xena typically 1 - 3 times, and xena sits there and sometimes xena will wheek/squeal. Xena does not retaliate, she just sits still or runs away. Cookie does not go after xena for no reason, it starts when xena goes to do something. If they are laying together, when xena goes to walk away or bumps into her the wrong way, cookie will nip.

Is this considered, normal? We saw and have experience with full on aggression/fighting/attacks with our previous guinea, this is nothing like that. When we tried to bond our last female, it was instant teeth chattering, rumbling, hair standing up, full on attack non stop.

 

[KittyandNancy]

I think so but @Wiebke would be the best person to answer your questions, she is very knowledgable in guinea pig behavior.

I just bonded my two pigs to a third and it went very well with wiebkes guidance.

Angela

 

[npcout]

From what I noticed so far, I think this is bullying, although its day one. I don't no how long is acceptable until bullying subsides. Basically,

When Xena comes out of her small hut only she fits in.. cookie will chase her back in it. Sometimes cookie will let her roam for a few minutes, eat some hay and dry food, other times she chasing her back in seconds. Xena keeps coming back out though, and cookie keeps chasing her in. There is some squealing and nipping, but no teeth chattering, no rumbling, and they both seem relatively happy; cookie even popcorned. Xena doesn't seem to be afraid of cookie considering how she keeps going back up to he but xena does not bite, she is 100% submissive. Sometimes they look like there playing, but I noticed a few times, cookie would chase xena into her hut, and then lay down at the entrance so xena cant get out.

I have them separated over night so Xena can eat, drink, rest, etc without worry. This was day one.

Any input? Advice? Confidence? would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Wiebke]

Stop panicking and let them get on with each other. There are no signs of aggression whatsoever, just the normal dominance behaviour that is par for the course of establishing a hierarchy, which can last for a few days to a few weeks. Please do not separate again. The squealing is not pain, but submission. The dominance phase is never nice to watch, but you have to sit it out. Don't worry about any fall-outs or bullying; it's not going to happen! This sounds like a pretty smooth bonding. Make sure that you haven't got any hideys with just one exit where an underpiggy can get cornered and locked in. if necessary, just peg a couple of old hankies or kitchen towels to the bars instead.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sow-behaviour.38561/

 

[Guinea Slave]

It sounds like they are just sorting out boundaries. There is a big age gap in some respects and I suspect Cookee is just ensuring Xena knows to respect her as the dominant female. This may work for now but when Xena gets older she will try to get some authority back..possibly. I have seen this behaviour a lot and its usually done and dusted within a week or two once they all know where they stand! Girls will go on bickering for ages, as long as no blood is let and Xena is eating then they will probably be fine. I have always found bonding babies with adults much, much better so you are doing the right thing!

I think if it was me I would remove the small hut so that it cannot become a 'trap' and a trigger. I would ensure they have several bolt holes (3) which they can get into together. They may even start to share a hut after a while? Unfortunately the small hut is just creating a 'Xena owned' territory which is probably annoying Cookee.

Just my observations and I would definitely take advice from the experts though!

 

[Guinea Slave]

BTW, unless you are concerned I would not separate them. the more time they have to sort it out the better. Separating them just delays this and means Cookee has to show her authority again and again. I tend to just leave them to it and keep a close eye. (although weigh Xena regularly in the first few days to ensure she is eating OK).