You can also use hay pile and veggies for diverting their attention to make sure they dont get into a fight. Guinea pigs form bonds with other guinea pigs by spending time together, grooming, and playing together. Some sows do get into a severe fight to prove their dominance, but in most cases, they sort it out by chasing and humping on their back only. They are more sensitive to hormonal changes. Ovarian Cysts A severe hormonal imbalance can cause a guinea pig to develop ovarian cysts, tumors that grow on her ovaries and cause pain and aggression. Introducing the Guinea Pigs. But, if a fight breaks out when you arent there, a larger guinea pig could attack, and kill one that is smaller or younger. Such an attack converts into a fierce battle among the male guinea pigs. If you are planning to introduce a new cage mate, then make sure you do it slowly. But when a guinea pig is annoyed or irritated with another guinea pig, they may start fighting with each other. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This behavior can be characterized by several factors, from bonding with new cage mates to lack of nutrition or stress. That said, guinea pigs may also chase each other to assert dominance or resolve conflict within the group hierarchy. They get annoyed if they keep banging themselves to the sides of the cage. If you keep two male guinea pigs with a female or even if you have housed the female nearby, then two males might start showing some dominance behavior. REASON #1: THE WRONG GUINEA PIG PAIRING One of the key rules when pairing up guinea pigs is to know what sex they are. The truth is that they are just like humans. Hay is necessary because of its high-fiber content, which helps maintain the guinea pig digestive tract and also wears down constantly growing teeth. Yes, guinea pigs can kill each other. Sometimes the dominance behavior can last for years also. Is It Worth Getting Pet Insurance for Guinea Pigs? If the fighting gets too severe, see your vet so your guinea pigs stay healthy. They can fight among themselves wildly and even mutilate each other. Chickens are fine with . How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Guinea Pig? Wheeking Usually, at this phase, the struggle can get dangerous, tackling each other, loud rumbling and biting each other off can be some sign of serious dominance. Male guinea pigs are more dominant than female guinea pigs, and usually, the behavior lasts long in boars than in sow. However, most of the time, there is a reason behind such fights, and it is crucial to understand that. Some of the most common factors triggering female guinea pig dominance are: The introduction of a new cagemate can trigger dominance behavior in guinea pigs. If possible try to start by housing your guinea pigs with a mesh separating them so they can begin to communicate. Yeah I second that, pets are home unfortunately aren't too great when it comes to piggy knowledge. The reasons behind the aggressive behavior of the guinea pigs are summarised below: Guinea pigs should not be forced to share the same space unless they are closely bonded. When guinea pigs are playing, theyll usually be running around and chasing each other. Teeth chattering toward other guinea pigs indicates that they need space. They may put themselves in some trouble if left unattended. This is quite normal for male guinea pigs living together, but occasionally things may escalate and get more serious. So spaying them becomes crucial to control their behavioral differences. Sounds of guinea pigs snorting(its like hissing or sneezing you can say) followed by stressed squeaking & loud teeth chattering are some noises you can notice during this phase. Nipping each other but causing any severe damage or drawing blood. The violence is mostly between adult males and is majorly territorial. If they seem happy and content, then its likely that theyre getting along just fine! Initially, keep both the guinea pigs in two separate cages to develop a bond between themselves. Understanding this is critical since it is known that guinea pigs do not thrive when they are left alone. If you do, youll need to provide them with a female guinea pig so they can have babies. Additional signs of dominance and bonding behaviors to look for in guinea pigs include raising the heads high, rumbling, teeth chattering, mounting, and humping. Other fighting behaviors: Look for indicators your guinea pigs are getting along. A Comprehensive Guide. Guinea pig showing dominance is a natural phenomenon whenever they share a living space. They like to hide around and play. (Why, What Does It Mean & What To Do? Guinea pig suffering from some disease will show unnatural aggression even towards its mate. Do not separate the guinea pigs once they are bonded until they fight with each other. Guinea pigs do appreciate their own space even though they are herd animals and will look to set out their territory. There arent many exotic veterinarians for guinea pigs. We have a BunnyBusiness playpen we bought from Amazon and the piggies get 3 or 4 hours playtime in it every evening. Sometimes sniffing, chasing, then relaxing and grooming. Apart from it, other fights are usually for their social order. If you dont want them to mate, youll need to separate the two males and keep them apart. Teeth baring and hissing, hair fluffing, and strutting often are signs of aggression. If this is the case, youll need to decide if you want to allow them to mate or not. If they do not appear to get along, do not panic; guinea pigs require their own place the vast majority of the time. Once they get a little used to themselves, try diving the old enclosure and housing them there and slowly removing the divider overtime to keep them together. 1 Why is my guinea pig chasing the other? How do I know if my guinea pigs are playing or fighting? Whether you're a curious reader or a dedicated rodent enthusiast, I guarantee my blog will be a valuable and reliable source of information for you. Benefits of adopting a guinea pig companion include: Increased movement A more varied diet Mental stimulation and behavior Usually, guinea pigs suffering from such diseases need immediate medical assistance. Something I found out for myself after buying a hutch they suggested that turned out to be too small. Another behavior among female guinea pigs is chasing. If your guinea pig feels scared, is startled, or is being bullied by other guinea pigs, it may react by biting you or another guinea pig. However, if you think that they are chasing each other to establish their hierarchy, then you might need to provide them with more space. If you have guinea pigs that get along and suddenly one of them starts chasing and attacking the others, there may be a few reasons for that: 1- It's a submissive male who has just discovered his strength and wants to challenge the dominant male in order to steal his throne and become the master of the cage. How to Handle an Aggressive Potbellied Pig. galapagos giant tortoise; droitwich rugby club shop Written by Bryan in Behavior. Their fights are very nasty once they start showing aggressive nature. Another reason why your guinea pigs can start getting territorial and fight is the limited resources they might be having. To prevent this, always make sure the cage they're living in is big enough; it is recommended to have at least a 7.5 square feet cage for two guinea pigs. His primary fields of expertise include computers, astronomy, alternative energy sources and the environment. Observe they behaviour: ignoring one another is normal. I still have low ranked guineas that are bullied, but now they have other low ranked friends and it's just all much less drama. Guinea pigs could mount each other alongside other dominance behaviors due to: Boredom Too-small cage Food and water competition Illness or injury Re-establishing social hierarchy when a new guinea pig is introduced The mounting is intended to convey a message that a certain guinea pig is in charge. Keeping males and females separated would be advised. But, rarely, bonded guinea pigs come together again after a fight. This usually starts with verbal confrontations, face-offs where the loser is the one who drops her head first, and "rumblestrutting," a low, sinuous dance accompanied by a rumbling or chuttering noise. Playing with toys and running about the cage may also be fun for guinea pigs if they enjoy each other. After separating the guinea pigs, observe their activities. You may need to step in and stop them if things get heated up, but in most cases, they will figure out their role in the cage and settle down their own fights. Sometimes guinea pigs bonding might appear like they are fighting. Females also tend to mount and hump fellow female cage mates to display dominance, though they may also do it when on heat. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Guinea pig shows some of this behavior when socializing-. If you want to learn more about how guinea pigs express their dominance through sound, you can check out our blog. My goal is to educate and inform readers about these amazing creatures, and to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation for the important role that rodents play in our ecosystems. When guinea pigs popcorn, they race around, then jump in the air, turn the other direction, and then repeat it again and again. But it can get more physical if they lunge at each other and carry out non-sexual mounting. They do not forget the fighting mate, and it is hard to bond against the two guinea pigs. You want to separate them before getting to the point of lunging and biting. Is it normal for guinea pigs to show dominance? However, even they can end up fighting with other sows in the cage to prove dominance. At least 5-6 hours of exercise is required. It is recommended to have at least a 7.5sq feet cage area for a pair of guinea pigs. The dominant guinea pigs then mark off their territory and stand as a leader. Can Guinea Pigs Have Straw in Their Cage? If both of the guinea pigs dont back up during the verbal confrontation, then one starts to show some physical dominance behavior. Guinea pigs will follow each other around their cage, play with new toys, explore new food options, and just keep each other company. Or literally that guinea pig is communicating, "I am going to be the top guinea pig.". Or the guinea pig might just like the taste of a persons skin. Guinea pigs form bonds with other guinea pigs by spending time together, grooming, and playing together. . In most cases, vocal confrontation and some humping and chasing with rumbling noises are some common signs of guinea pig dominance. When you pair up a young guinea pig with any other guinea pig (young or old), there is a chance that as the younger guinea pig goes through its adolescent period (3-5 months), they will challenge the other guinea pig for top guinea pig position. Observe their activities and bring them back to their home after some time. Usually, you will hear a loud squeal followed by running away, indicating I am no match for you; hence I give up! It helps assert dominance over younger or smaller guinea pigs and establish a social order. They follow hierarchy among themselves, just like other animals. What Are the Symptoms? This behavior is normal in young mice just like kids. This can lead to them being less stressed, which in turn can help them stay healthy. Once the guinea pig chases and corners the other one, they start mounting and humping the other guinea pig. In this case, its best to separate them, so they dont hurt each other. If your guinea pigs are chasing each other and seem to be enjoying themselves, then there is no need to worry. It will be a new space for both of them as none have been to this place before. If neither guinea pig backs down, it may lead to a physical confrontation. This usually happens with the males or when you introduce two new pigs together. So why do guinea pigs fight? Male vs Female Guinea Pig: Which Guinea Pig Gender Is Better? (Normal & Abnormal Poop). Guinea pigs bite is often assumed as aggression, but it may not be so. How long does it take for guinea pigs to get used to each other? I've gone from 8, to 15, to 21, and now 29. Guinea pigs chasing each other indicate something is wrong between the two. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 6 Tips to Stop Your Guinea Pigs from Fighting, Signs Your Guinea Pigs Are Fighting & Need to Be Separated. Male guinea pigs also fight among themselves when they compete with each other to mate with a female counterpart. Separate them and keep them in different cages placed near each other. How to Make a Pet Pot-Bellied Pig Stop Biting. But are all guinea pigs dominant or is it a problem with some of them only? Chasing will be done with some aggression and intention to harm others. I'm currently a pet groomer, and I love it. They are curious about everything nearby and want to explore different things. Guinea pigs themselves usually resolve minor tiffs while playing. If one backs down that should be the end of the process. Home unfortunately are n't too great when it comes to piggy knowledge none have been to this place.. 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