Aggression 2 new adopted pigs not getting along

How large is the cage now? A cage that's too small will definitely contribute to pigs squabbling.

Take all the igloos out and replace them with hideys that have both entrances and exits, or put toweling/fleece across the corners. You don't want any place that one pig can trap another. Make sure they've got multiple pellet dishes, cozies, whatever.

Like @bpatters said, a smaller cage will promote bickering.

I, personally, ordered the largest cage I could without breaking the bank (2x6 coro-- thank you, BP, for linking T's store!) and I've currently got 108 grids. I plan on making it as big as I can, just so that they don't fight. Then again, mine are boars, and sows normally get along better with less space than boars would.

I mean, really, would you wanna be stuck in a too small space with someone for your life? Sure, you get out, but then you still have to go back in it at the end of the day.

Could she be in heat, too? Do sows bully during hormonal periods? Or is that just like, ovary cysts? I'm honestly not sure, I don't own sows.

How do they get along during floor time?

Their cage was 3x2 grids but the side with 3 grids I had to cut off about 3 inches to make it fit in my room. If I had the space I would get the biggest cage I could find but it just isnt possible at the moment since my apartment is so small. I know it is less than the recommended size, but I'm planning on making a second level to give them more room, but I have to wait until I can afford some more coroplast and grids which will be in two weeks. I'm not sure if that will help though because Minnie will reach over and take Buttercup's food during floor time when I hand feed them. They're still getting used to me and being in a new place so they both hide during floor time, except if i put out veggies, which they of course fight over (Buttercup usually comes out first then Minnie comes out and tries to eat Buttercup's food even when there is another pile). I have a box with a fleece blanket in it for them to play in during floor time and thats the only time they cuddle, but thats when theres nowhere else for them to hide. I don't think she is in heat because her personality even with me seems to be more dominant. And thank you @bpatters, I'll definitely get rid of the igloos and replace them asap!

Fighting escalating and need advise asap!

So I posted earlier this week about my newly adopted two year old guinea pigs, who have been together since their previous owner bought them. The bullying has only gotten worse since last posting. I took them both out for floor time and immediately Minnie tried to mount Buttercup, and i mean immediately. Minnie has begun nipping Buttercup so often it has gotten to the point that where I hear squealing every few minutes when they are awake. Though there hasnt been any blood, it is definitely escalating. Throughout floor time, Minnie would chase Buttercup randomly. Minnie will nip at her and chase her around floor time. What I am most concerned about is during floor time, Minnie kept trying to put her nose above Minnie's and would nip her. Minnie got on her hind legs and started chattering her teeth after Buttercup didnt back down, which I have heard is a sign they are about to fight, so I put a paper towel roll between them and put Minnie back in the cage. Since then, Buttercup explored a minute then popcorned around and is still enjoying exploring and frolicking alone on the floor. Earlier today this also happened when I allowed her to enjoy the newly cleaned cage for a few minutes by herself and she popcorned all over. The minute I put Minnie in, she hid. I need advise if there is anything I can do to make Minnie less aggressive? And also should I separate them?

Re: Fighting escalating and need advise asap!

Aghhhh, fighting stresses me out. At the very least maybe get a second cage ready just incase. I don't really have any other advice, just sending you positive thoughts. Also maybe just make sure you have multiple hideys, food, water and hay sources.

It's possible that Minnie has a hormonal issue like ovarian cysts or even a uterine tumor. Both of those can cause a guinea pig to act more aggressively towards cagemates. Or, she could just be in heat. Some females act very hormonal when in heat.

Or, it still could be a dominance issue. The changes they've gone through recently could have caused Minnie to feel the need to assert her dominance over again.

I currently have two hideys and two spots for hay and separate their veggies, but Minnie will seek out Buttercup at times. Shes also been rumble strutting more and more. It's been a week and though they are getting better with me, Minnie is getting worse with Buttercup. And I'm afraid to separate them because someone with a similar problem was advised to separate them only if there is blood but at the rate it is going, I doubt it will be too long before she is drawing blood. I think the only reason she hasnt is because I have been home by the cage all day and have intervened when Minnie relentlessly has nipped and chased Buttercup.
While I was writing this post, it happened again where Buttercup was chased around so I put up a grid divider in the cage Minnie began popcorning all over for the first time! Now she keeps trying to tear down the barrier(though this could be because she is just a mischievous pig) and I am not sure what to do. Should i give them time apart and try to reintroduce them, should I let them live apart, or put them back in together and let them work it out?

Are there any other signs of them being in heat or having ovarian or uterine problems?

I believe a 3X2 C&C is much too small for 2 guinea pigs. However, that IS the minimum size for 2 guinea pigs. I want to make sure we're all on the same page here. When you say 3X2 you are saying 3 cubes by 2 cubes correct?

My advice, remove the pigloos and other hidys. And if you have fleece, add 2 fleece forest. Fleece forest are hidys, but they do not take up running space or let a pig get trapped.
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/accessories/76054-easy-pesy-fleece-forest.html

Yes it is 3 cubes by 2 cubes. And they have much more space during floor time but the bullying happens almost constantly there too so I don't think a bigger cage will make things better, though I am trying to make it larger in the near future anyway. I removed the pigloos and have two tents up in two corners but it has not helped at all. I think Minnie is too dominant and I have a feeling she was this way at her old home and her old owner just didnt think it was necessary to let me know. Now that they are separated, Buttercup is so relaxed and her personality even seems to change. She is much more curious. I just want to know if there is any hope of them getting along. They both seem happier separated but there is no way I can have two large cages so I really want to try every possible solution before giving up and having to rehome Minnie.

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting my two piggies to get along? I am too scared to put Buttercup in again with Minnie because I have a feeling there is gonna be blood drawn very soon if I'm not there to stop it. If I can't find a solution, I am gonna have to rehome minnie because I just do not have the space for two cages:*( I have never had guinea pigs not get along like this so I have no idea what to do or if there is hope in making them cagemates again. Since they were together for two years and I do not know much about their past, I am nervous to give away Minnie since I assume they were bonded at one point, but even my boyfriend says there is no way they have gotten along and the person I adopted them from must have left out a lot because Minnie just has a super dominant personality. I just have no idea what to do at this point.

My guess is that the smaller cage, and the move to your house, probably set off the dominance squabbles again. But you should definitely read (broken link removed) to see if Minnie has any symptoms of that. It also might be worth a vet check to see if they can palpate any cysts.

When you say Minnie is taking Buttercup's food, do you mean she's trying to take it out of her mouth, or that she's eating from the same plate Buttercup does? I only feed my two one plate of food, and both my pigs eat from it. If Minnie's just eating out of the same plate as Buttercup, I don't see anything wrong with that. I also don't see anything unusual about Minnie hogging the food when you're hand feeding them. They're guinea pigs, and they like to eat, some more than others. I have to fend Flourish off while I'm feeding Ruffles if I have them both out at the same time, and they get along very well together.

The mounting is also normal. My guess is that if she gets enough of it, Buttercup will discourage Minnie by squirting pee at her.

In short, if nobody is bleeding or being bitten, and if Buttercup is getting enough to eat, I'd put them in the largest space I could arrange for them and let them be. I'd make a larger cage somewhere (mine is in my living room). But I'd also take Minnie in for a vet check-up to make sure nothing is going on with her.

Ok. Thank you! I did look into ovarian cysts, but she has no hair loss and I see no other signs of ovarian cysts other than her dominance issue and I have only witnessed her mounting once but I will try to take her to the vet as soon as I can. And Minnie will take food from Buttercup's mouth all the time, even seeking her out under a hidey to steal food. They can't even eat out of the same hay rack on opposite sides of it for long because Minnie will suddenly chase and nip at Buttercup. And though she hasnt bitten to draw blood, the nips are getting more frequent and she seems to be lunging more when she does it and Buttercup is squealing more often and seems much more timid. Also when should i intervene? I have stopped the chasing and nipping by separating them with a paper towel roll (it seems to distract Minnie) but once I move away she will start rumble strutting again and try to chase and nip Buttercup again.

I'd stop interfering -- it doesn't teach Minnie anything, and it keeps them from working out the dominance issues.

Weigh them regularly, especially Buttercup, to make sure she's maintaining her weight. Keep two of everything in the cage, at opposite ends. Minnie can't guard both hay racks/food plates/pellet dishes/water bottles if there's enough room between them.

Separate them when one of them gets bitten or Buttercup starts losing weight.

That's my $.02 worth, anyway. Maybe @lissie or @foggycreekcavy has other ideas.

If you separated the pigs you may make things worse. Also, in a 2x3 cage, each pig would only have the sq footage of a pet store cage, if not, even smaller.

I would find a way to either rearrange furniture in your room(if their in there) or ask your parents if you can move them out into the living or dining room. Their having dominance issues and having a larger cage can help to tone down the issues their having. Also, with a larger cage, you can have more space to place down another dish, bottle/hay rack to eliminate resource guarding.

My Lady and Korra are sort of like your pigs. There was a spell where Lady chased Korra around and attempted to mount her. It lasted a week(?). Now the only thing Lady does is rumblestrut when Korra gets near her pigloo and when Korra runs into her while running around the cage. I also have to hand feed or have floor time with them veggies to make sure both get their equal amount. However, they share their water bottle, pellet dish and hay rack perfectly.

I have the same problem at the moment, I have two 6 month old boys, Mimsy and Butters (similar names to yours!) and I put them in with two other guineas whilst on holiday and mine started fighting. They were separated, and then spent floor time together every day afterwards, working up from 10 minutes to 3 hour periods. They started getting on really well and they were in a pet store bought cage. I brought them home to a new C&C cage (5x2 with a 2x2 second story) and Mimsy is still such a bully. Its just given him more room to rumble strut! I spoke to a vet who said its hormone related, but your guineas are 2 years old so it can't be that. Sometimes guineas just don't get on well with each other, although when I separate mine, they go mad looking for one another. I would let them adjust to their new surroundings, let Minnie establish that she's the dominant one (Butters has accepted Mimsy is now and follows him everywhere), and perhaps separate them at night so they can each have a decent break from each other. If they don't get any better, use grids to divide them so that they can still see each other, but Minnie can't bully Buttercup, and then remove it for a period of the day to let them socialise, then replace the grid. Also, you could consider getting a neutered male, maybe Minnie would prefer some male company instead. Rescue centres could help you find a good match. But obviously we need to consider the cage size and I have to admit, a smaller cage with a new guinea, and the new environment, might be stressful. I hope they overcome these problems soon!

This morning my guineas were chattering very loudly at each other and Butters put his head back and showed his teeth. So I lay on the edge of my bed by the cage and started talking to them really softly, just greeting them and saying random things, and they started getting a little confused and the chattering calmed down and then eventually stopped, and they haven't started again yet, this was only about ten minutes ago. Maybe that's something to try?

@MrWhistles thats exactly what has happened to my pigs! Suddenly today Minnie just relaxed and is nowhere near as aggressive as she was, though she is acting like your Lady now. My fingers are crossed that that continues. And thank you @ButtersandMimsy. I separated them with grids for two nights and allowed the to be in the same cage when I was around and now theyre getting along well so hopefully they just needed some time apart. The one incident Minnie has started teeth chattering, I just started talking to her and it distracted them and Minnie walked away! Thank you so much for the responses!