They hate eachother.

[Roxanne]

Crap. I just adopted my 2nd cavy (See thread entitled: New Pig! Pictures, a question..etc) She is the blood sister of my first, who I adopted a little over two weeks ago. Roxanne and NewPig are total personality oposites. Roxanne is a Diva and dislikes being picked up and isn't a fan of lap time. NewPig is willing to be picked up and is cuddled in my lap right now.
Last night they got a small intro. They started to fight, I broke it up. They were put into adjacent cages. 4am rolls around and they are waging an all out war against their cages, trying to get to each other to play. So, did another quick into while cleaning the C&C cage they will be living in together, and put them in. Watched them for an hour and all was well and good. Went to bed with my listening ears on for any sign of a fight. There were none. Got up at 7am, and they were happily sitting next to each other under the towel tent. Fed them and they ate happily.
I left for school, came home and they were making angry sounds and circling wildly, occasionally lunging. Put them into a neutral area, they continued. Then the fight escalated. This time I knew better then to break it up, unless blood was drawn.
Well, blood was drawn and now poor NewPig (Reba, Candy or Rhonda...TBD) has a small patch of hair missing and a trickle of blood near her nose/mouth, and a layer of skin peeled off from between her front paw. It appears that Roxanne truly hates her sister! I have them separated, Roxanne in a rabbit cage positioned so she cannot see NewPig who will be in the C&C cage.
I just do not know what to do from here! I plan on trying to keep letting them meet in neutral places, but what do I do if the fighting continues?!
I would love to keep the two of them, but unfortunately I do not have the room to build a 2nd C&C cage and would feel awful keeping one in the smaller cage I have. I would feel like a complete guinea pig mom failure if I had to already put one up for adoption!
I really need some suggestions here...I'm at a loss.

[Feylin]

Have you tried a buddy bath? I just did this for my 2 new boars and it really worked. Make sure that every speck of your cage has been cleaned with vinegar solution. If you have wood anything- dont put it back in untill the pigs are settled.

Cavyspirit has great instructions about the bathing.

[clotho]

I second the idea of a buddy bath once your piggie is all healed up. Don't give up hope! Make sure ALL scents are gone from the cage before putting them in. Make sure you do intros when you have ALL day to watch them if necessary.

If it does become necessary to keep them separate, you say you don't have room to build another C&C cage. Have you considered building a two story cage?? That wouldn't take any more room and each piggie could have their own level. There are lots of pictures of stacked cages if you want to take a look around the picture gallery.

[Bidoune]

mi had the same problem with mi first and older one, Bidoune. She cound't let the other one sleep, eat, walk or drink...she was always bitting! i introduced them in neutral erea but sh was still bitting. her two was very diva like and the other a total doll...

i've put them in a bigger cage, looked at them, seperate them during the night and after like two weeks they got together pretty well. just put seperate things: two bowls, two water bottles, to hutch... so they wont have to share!

good luck! (BW, it worked for mi other ''couple'' of girls two! and it worked they are now 'pout-pouting' together <3 )

[Roxanne]

Originally Posted by clotho

If it does become necessary to keep them separate, you say you don't have room to build another C&C cage. Have you considered building a two story cage?? That wouldn't take any more room and each piggie could have their own level. There are lots of pictures of stacked cages if you want to take a look around the picture gallery.

I would love to build a 2 story C&C cage, but I am worried about draft and sunlight. They are kept in my bedroom, and I have 3 windows. The only walls that are open are all directly under the windows, and if I built a 2nd story on the current cage it would be directly against a window.
If they end up continuing to fight I will look into it...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Roxanne gets over her diva 'tude and leaves her sister alone! I will definitely plan on doing a buddy bath as soon as poor NewPig heals!
I'm hoping Roxanne is just being hormonal, she's been a real snot to me these past few days as well, even before NewPig entered the picture.

...Which triggers another question. Seeing as NewPig was very recently a mommy (A little over a week and a half ago she was separated), could her mother hormones be triggering something in Roxanne which sets her off?

[Bidoune]

Which triggers another question. Seeing as NewPig was very recently a mommy (A little over a week and a half ago she was separated), could her mother hormones be triggering something in Roxanne which sets her off?

i dont think so. its been too long since the last time her mom and the new one have been together. and at worst she would only smell her more, and that if only she would remember her mom, wich is not very possible. they dont know if one is a mom or not, so she would only smell two pigs at the same time!

[Sammy and Peanut]

The only problem with the buddy bath is that they are just being buddies because they are scared. Sometimes when they get out they will hate each other again. This tactic can go either way.

[clotho]

I have found buddy baths to be particularly effective with males. It makes all the males smell the same, so they are all starting on the same level. I personally have had a lot of luck with buddy baths when necessary with my boys.

[Roxanne]

So I tried doing another into today, in a COMPLETELY neutral environment- the downstairs hall way. Neither have ever been downstairs there so there is no way in heck their scents are there. Before I was doing it in the hall in front of my room, where I have placed blankets etc from Roxanne when I was cleaning her cage, only for a few minutes but maybe just enough to make it smell like her therefore triggering her attack(?? just a guess).

Well, once more blood was drawn, again from NewPig (Now known as Candice or Candy). At first they were fine, then Roxy started chasing Candy around and around, and would jump forward and bite her butt. Only if Candy was cornered would she fight back. There was a lot of angry noises and teeth chattering. At one point poor Candy got thrown into a wall by a side attack.
There were a few minutes when they got along but it was because they were frightened due to the front door opening. They huddled together for a minute or two then Candy scooted off and Roxanne followed.
Poor Candy is such a mamma's girl! The second I picked her up she scooted onto my shoulder and under my hair. Poor thing.
Roxanne on the other hand was being very squirmy and continuing to make angry rumbles and teeth chattering when I brought her back. Could this be because I had just handled Candy and hadn't washed my hands or took my sweatshirt off? I couldn't wash or change before grabbing Roxanne because I was in a rush trying to get them put away before my brother let the dog in.
I have not yet given up! This weekend I will have to buy a bit of piggy shampoo- any recommendations that are easy on the wallet?

[Turtle_luver2]

HI
I am a newbie as well, abd I received some wonderful advice on this site. I did a buddy bath yesterday, and when it ws done my 3 pigs (2 of which are new) started quibbling and fussing some. So this is what I tried-I dried them with a hair dryer on low, then with some continued fussing, I decided to try something else. I wrapped them all together nice and cozy like in a large bath towel for 5 minutes and the teeth chattering stopped and they cuddled together! Now they did fuss alot in the cage, but not nearly as bad as previously. My pig Lucy is still chasing and butt sniffing claire (the previous dominant pig of the two I had adopted), but I have seen no blood drawn. It scared me as well, hearing Claire cry out, but I am going to let them work it out, unless I note injuries/and or blood. I hope this helps out.