Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register

Dominance Is it normal behavior???

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
So everyone knows that I have two young Guinea pigs now 5 months old. I have one of them that acts just fine doesn't try to show dominance towards my older pig or other young one and my older one will only show dominance when he is pestered.

Now my third piggie I got who is young has started to chase the other two around biting them and I'm finding big globs of hair from him pulling it out. He first starts pestering the older pig by rump strutting around him and doing his purr Lenny won't allow him to do it so he will show higher dominance lifting his head showing teeth and all so then the young one (Kylo is his name) starts on the other young one (Arlo) chasing him around biting and pulling clumps of hair out and I hear Arlo squeak in pain from him doing it. Arlo will jump up into the hay rack to try to get away.

Can someone tell me how long this could go on for and why it's just the one young piggie acting this way? He does this mainly at night or anytime Arlo try's to eat or gets by my older pig Lenny.

What should I do? I need help!!!
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
It could go on for months. The younger ones are just coming into full-blown puberty.

How big is the cage? Is there lots of flat space for them to run around? Do all the hideys have two or more doors? Is there any place in the cage where one pig can trap another?
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
I have a 3x4 c&c cage that I just built them. I have two fleece forests but no other tunnels or hidey huts just cuddle cups so no one can get trapped anywhere. It's all flat space for them to run except for the coroplast kitchen insert I made for one corner but they usually just jump over it.

I just find it odd that only one of my young pigs is going through it like this, there's times where Kylo will look like he's popcorning but wheeks at the same time and then there's times where he acts like he's rubbing his face on the fleece while squeaking and purring and shaking a bit like he's having a seizure while doing it. It's hard to explain it all on what I see him do all day. He's also the only one out of my two young pigs that I can't pick up he runs every time even if I try to rub his head.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Do human teenagers all go through puberty at the same time? Or with the same degree of hormonal upset?
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
Hmmm true! So when about will their puberty be over or does it vary?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Varies widely. Some calm down at about a year, others after they're two. Cross your fingers and hope. . .
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
[emoji33] oh my "fingers crossed" let's hope he calms down at one or even sooner!!!! And here's hoping the other young one stays pretty calm lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
Ok so Arlo is starting to get bald spots on his bum from Kylo chasing him around, biting and ripping his hair out. Lenny is starting to bite him too when Arlo tries to run behind him to hide. I know it's just Kylo trying to call dominance over him but I'm afraid that eventually Arlo is going to really get hurt between the two and end up bleeding.

Do I just need to keep him in the cage with the other two or should I remove Arlo to his own cage?

Lenny gets along fine with Arlo except when he's trying to hide behind him when Kylo chases him to bite him but any other time they are fine together. Kylo tends to chase both of the other boys and I'm just afraid someone is going to get hurt badly. Is there something I can do or am I stuck just having globs of hair all around the cage? Here's a small glob I just picked up but there are more still in the cage:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Pick Arlo up and sniff his rear end to see if you notice any urine odor. Sometimes pigs will pick on another pig when they sense illness. If you do, then get him treated for a UTI.

You might try giving them all a bath and putting a dab of vanilla on everybody's back side and see if that helps any.
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
K I'll do that thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
@bpatters I did pick Arlo up and smelt his rear end but I didn't smell any urine or anything else on him. He actually smelt pretty clean didn't stink or anything but I just did a full clean of the cage and after I put them all back in a literally had a three furball fight thankfully no blood as far as I can tell but it was still Kylo basically attacking the other two and he's still going at it with my oldest, Lenny. I can't expand my cage anymore then the 3x4 I have it at now and I even down sized my kitchen insert to basically what the forum sells, but mine is a 15" x 15" square instead of a 13"x13" square like they have.

What are my other options to try to do? I feel he may be happier in a big cage by himself but I just don't have the room to do another cage or add to the one I have but keep him separated. Any suggestions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
Okay, so it's not illness that's attracting Kylo, it's just dominance.

Did you try the buddy bath with a dab of vanilla on their butts?
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
Not yet I've never done a bath before on piggies, should I have another person to help? Is it best to do them all at once or separate? Can I just stick them in my bath tube or should I get a small dish washing pan to put them in?

I e watched videos on YouTube on how to do it and so many does it differently so not sure what would be best.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
All together. The purpose of the buddy bath is that they're all so terrified that they huddle together for comfort.

I do mine in the bathtub. I put a big towel down for traction, and weigh it down in a couple of places with something heavy, like a pot of water. I run enough water so that the deepest part is about an inch deep, maybe a little more. My first two pigs actually loved baths, so I made it deeper for them, but this crew prefers it shallow. Just don't get too much soap in the water, or else use some of what's in the pots to rinse them with.

You can get Squeaky Clean Critter shampoo at Target/Walmart/Petco/etc. It only takes one person to do the baths.
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
Ok I will try that then to see if it helps! Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
So was going to do the buddy bath to see how things would go but already I've had 2 fights of nothing but a giant furball. I just noticed that Arlo has some major wounds all over his body from the fight he was in with Kylo but haven't noticed any wounds on Lenny where Kylo attacked him also. Is it best to remove Kylo as he's the trouble maker?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

adonnelly517

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Posts
98
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
98
Re-introducing male piggies!!!

Is it a bad idea to re-introduce male piggies that fought and made another piggy bleed?

Have 3, one would always attack another so when I saw that piggy have big bloody wounds through his fur I quickly took out the one that was causing it but now I'm wondering if at all possible if I could reintroduce them to one another?

I have two together and then the single one next to them by himself as he was the one attacking.
 

bpatters

Moderator
Staff member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Posts
29,251
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
29,251
@adonnelly517, you've already got a thread on the dominance issues of these pigs. Don't start multiple threads on the same topic. I've merged them.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

I
Replies
3
Views
778
janarbeth
janarbeth
cruella-de-vil
Replies
4
Views
361
cruella-de-vil
cruella-de-vil
helpmeporfavor
Replies
2
Views
336
helpmeporfavor
helpmeporfavor
Top