Fighting??

[Lp333]

i got two new guinea pigs about two weeks ago and saw the fight yesterday FOR THE FIRST TIME they are 2 year old sisters which i think would mean they were with each other their whole life and now they fight? it might have been cause my cousin was there?? idk but she has to take care of them while im on vacation soon and she wouldn't know what to do SHE KEEPS TRYING TO PICK THEM UP when they aren't used to that and i keep getting mad at her for that (sorry off topic) WHAT DO I DO???? i also saw them mounting today.....oh and a lot of rumble strutting

[iamsnape]

Mounting is normal, it is a sign of dominance. As is rumblestrutting. It's just them saying to the other one 'I'm in charge, look how important I am'.
How long have they been fighting? One may be in heat, so if they don't constantly fight this could be a reason, as they get a bit irritable during this time. Check them over for cuts, missing bits of fur. If blood is drawn, separate them.

Your guinea pigs do need to get used to being picked up but your cousin needs to know the right way to go about it. One part of me thinks her making an attempt to handle them is a good thing, so long as she doesn't so overboard with it. However, the second part things she should leave it to you, as I know how panicky it is when you first get a pet and new people handle them. Discuss the correct ways to let pigs get used to you with your cousin rather than scaring the life out of them and picking them up straight away. Make sure she knows to let them smell your hand at floor level, as open hands from above look a lot like talons. Stroke them, then scoop them up. But picking them up from above will scare them, especially if they aren't used to being handled. They need to build trust with their owner, so make sure you reward them after they've been handled, so they know it's a good thing (don't fatten them up though, do things in moderation).

If you really aren't comfortable with the way your cousin is going to go about things with them, maybe seek other care arrangements. But it is an idea to try and get your pigs used to being handled. Where did you get them from? Were they not handled before?

Just a thought - what sort of cage are they in? If they don't have enough space, they might be fighting because of that. 2 guinea pigs should be in a minimum of a 2x3 c&c cage. Are they in a c&c or a pet store cage? Pet store cages aren't big enough. The suitable measurements for 2 pigs can be found on the home page of this website. But they need plenty of space to get along and stay happy and healthy.

[Zuidy]

What size cage are your Pigs in? A 2x4 cage is the minimum that usually works for 2 females, though bigger is always better.

Sex the Pigs as a precaution. Make sure they are their same sex. It is just always good to check.

They are your Pigs, if your cousin is making you unhappy and your Pigs unhappy, she is not a good choice to watch your Pigs, obviously.

__

If you don't have the proper size cage, your Pigs will undoubtedly fight more-so than they would with a large cage. While they could be sorting out dominance issues, it is unlikely if you have a small cage.

__

Good luck! And don't separate them unless blood is drawn.

[Ashleighv]

So how long does it usually take for male guineas to sort out dominance issues? one of my pigs was poorly and now he's getting better they have started fighting for dominance. they aren't hurting each other and its clear its a dominance thing but does this go on for a long time or will one of them just back down?

Thanks

[iamsnape]

So how long does it usually take for male guineas to sort out dominance issues? one of my pigs was poorly and now he's getting better they have started fighting for dominance. they aren't hurting each other and its clear its a dominance thing but does this go on for a long time or will one of them just back down?

Thanks

What do you mean by 'issues'? Just both trying to gain dominance? It depends on the pigs. One will either back down or they may end up fighting. Could you describe what they're doing? And if both of them are doing it as frequently as the other?

[MrWhistles]

Their exhibiting normal signs of establishing herd order.
Also, picking them up isn't going to hurt them. It is actually good for them because picking them up is the only way for them to get used to it. Just make sure she is actually picking them up the correct way.

[Ashleighv]

well funnily enough the smaller one of the two seems to trying to gain dominance more. Jerry (the smaller one) was poorly when i got him and now he's getting better he's a lot more assertive. he seems to be instigated the whole thing. I wouldnt say they were fighting but they sort of wind each other up a lot. and theres a lot of rumblestrutting going on. its mainly Jerry that is doing it. Terry (the bigger one) just gets on with it and ignores him. Any ideas?

[iamsnape]

well funnily enough the smaller one of the two seems to trying to gain dominance more. Jerry (the smaller one) was poorly when i got him and now he's getting better he's a lot more assertive. he seems to be instigated the whole thing. I wouldnt say they were fighting but they sort of wind each other up a lot. and theres a lot of rumblestrutting going on. its mainly Jerry that is doing it. Terry (the bigger one) just gets on with it and ignores him. Any ideas?

How old is Jerry? He may be going through adolescence. It's not uncommon for boars to wind the other one up and attempt to assesrt their dominance during this phase. Terry, if he's currently the dominant one, might just be dealing with it rather than rising to the challenge.

[Ashleighv]

they are both babies really. only 10 weeks!! so im thinking they may both be hormonal in that case. do males always fight a bit then? is it okay for them to wind each other up? theyre not just gonna get on all the time right?

[iamsnape]

they are both babies really. only 10 weeks!! so im thinking they may both be hormonal in that case. do males always fight a bit then? is it okay for them to wind each other up? theyre not just gonna get on all the time right?

Because they are of a similar age they might still be establishing dominance in their pair. How big is the cage? Extra room often helps boars that have a tendancy to bicker. As long as they aren't drawing blood I don't think there's a problem...I couldn't say whether they're going to do this forever or not but they may settle down over time if they are provided with the right space and things. Do you have two of everything in each cage? Bowls, bottles, hideys, etc? This helps with bickering piggies too.

[bpatters]

So how long does it usually take for male guineas to sort out dominance issues?

@Ashleighv , up to two years. You're barely getting started, and you ain't seen nothin' yet. Make sure you've got lots of room, two or more of everything, and don't separate them unless one of them is being bitten and is bleeding, or is being kept from the food and water to the point that he's losing weight.

[Lp333]

i use the c&c cage as a floor time kinda just until next week though

[Lp333]

they just started yesterday and only saw like the tiny-est bit of fur being taken i got them from a family who couldnt take care of them they would hold them all the time they had them for 2 years they gave me them in a petstore cage i think its like 17 inches by like 30 something inches but i made them a 2x4 c&c cage a week ago and put them in there for floor time until i put them in there forever which is next week

[MrWhistles]

and why are you waiting until next week to put them in there forever?

[Lp333]

and why are you waiting until next week to put them in there forever?

because i am on vacation now!!

[MrWhistles]

because i am on vacation now!!

There was no need to get snappy with me.
If you built the cage for floor time, why didn't you use what was already built as just their cage?
This is why I was confused. You built it for floor time, but not as their cage?

[Ashleighv]

I got my piggies out this morning as my other half said they were much louder than usual when scrapping. I got them out and noticed a small bit of hair come off one of them. I'm not sure if the other one has done it or whether they were just scrapping and it come out. They don't usually seem to fight that bad . It's usually just harmless. Any ideas on what I should do? Thanks

[MrWhistles]

What do you mean by scrapping?

[Ashleighv]

Just you're average rumblestrut and mounting and things. They're still trying to figure out who's boss as they are both boys. I rushed out to buy two of everything and separate sleeping compartments today and they have got on like a house on fire so I'm hoping a bit of space will do the trick! But any ideas if it doesn't??

[MrWhistles]

Is it possible you could expand to a 2x5?
Or add a 1x2 loft?

A loft could add some where for a pig to run out of sight and out of mind. Boars tend to do better in a bigger than recommended cage.