First of all, thank you for taking the time to read this. I know it's long. If you want, just skip to the next paragraph for my general question. My youngest guinea pig was purchased around 6 months of age, and my eldest was somewhere around a year or so old when I rescued her (they were both living together within a month of my rescuing the elder pig). So at first, things were great. The eldest wiggled her bottom, purred a little, and the youngest cried in submission. It only lasted for like two days, then poof! They had a silent understanding.
Now my question: Has anyone had experience with two VERY different guinea pigs who just refuse to pal around due to age/personality differences? Is there anything you did to help their bonding, or could it only be achieved once the younger pig caught up in maturity? Or did they just forever have a hot/cold bond?
You don't have to explain how dominance works or when to separate them or anything. I'm seriously just looking for ways to help them bond so they seem to really enjoy each other's company. It may be hopeless, but I want to try.
If it helps, here are details of their backgrounds/personalities:
The eldest one was abandoned when her owners moved. Through a series of random and rushed events, I hurried to get her (she had apparently starved for five days in a dog crate with a near-empty water bottle and soiled cedar chips). So she's extremely shy with people and other guinea pigs. She only takes food from me, and she'll startle at the slightest movement. She's a bully to the younger piggy, and I think it's because she never had a companion. There's no telling how long she went without even seeing her own kind. She is very calm when being handled, but easily frightened by noise.
The youngest one is her polar opposite. She was purchased from a pet store (no judgment, please) and therefore lived in a crammed space with tons of other pigs. When I got her, it took less than a week before she was a loud-mouthed, hyperactive, spoiled piggy who screamed for food every time the fridge opened. She remains in-your-face and restless. She'll hardly sit still in my lap without a veggie for distraction. She constantly annoys her older companion with her need for attention.
On their relationship: They eat together, sometimes sleep near each other. They don't "cuddle" or anything like that, but if I remove one from the cage for any reason (vet visits, quarantine, lap time, etc.) the one left behind acts like their best friend just died. They "talk" to each other, and sometimes the noises are good, sometimes, not so good. It's only been recently that the younger pig wants to try to be dominant. She's big now, but not big enough. The elder one nips at her, purrs, wiggles her bottom, and eventually the younger backs off. Like sometimes they seem like best friends, and sometimes they seem like they just can't get along. Keep in mind these are my first guinea pigs, so I don't have any others to compare them to.
I can't get a third guinea pig. It's not in the budget, and two eat through my wallet as it is. Also, their cage is 16 square feet, and I can't expand it currently. Their diet is great, they're both perfectly healthy. But any other advice is much appreciated!
Now my question: Has anyone had experience with two VERY different guinea pigs who just refuse to pal around due to age/personality differences? Is there anything you did to help their bonding, or could it only be achieved once the younger pig caught up in maturity? Or did they just forever have a hot/cold bond?
You don't have to explain how dominance works or when to separate them or anything. I'm seriously just looking for ways to help them bond so they seem to really enjoy each other's company. It may be hopeless, but I want to try.
If it helps, here are details of their backgrounds/personalities:
The eldest one was abandoned when her owners moved. Through a series of random and rushed events, I hurried to get her (she had apparently starved for five days in a dog crate with a near-empty water bottle and soiled cedar chips). So she's extremely shy with people and other guinea pigs. She only takes food from me, and she'll startle at the slightest movement. She's a bully to the younger piggy, and I think it's because she never had a companion. There's no telling how long she went without even seeing her own kind. She is very calm when being handled, but easily frightened by noise.
The youngest one is her polar opposite. She was purchased from a pet store (no judgment, please) and therefore lived in a crammed space with tons of other pigs. When I got her, it took less than a week before she was a loud-mouthed, hyperactive, spoiled piggy who screamed for food every time the fridge opened. She remains in-your-face and restless. She'll hardly sit still in my lap without a veggie for distraction. She constantly annoys her older companion with her need for attention.
On their relationship: They eat together, sometimes sleep near each other. They don't "cuddle" or anything like that, but if I remove one from the cage for any reason (vet visits, quarantine, lap time, etc.) the one left behind acts like their best friend just died. They "talk" to each other, and sometimes the noises are good, sometimes, not so good. It's only been recently that the younger pig wants to try to be dominant. She's big now, but not big enough. The elder one nips at her, purrs, wiggles her bottom, and eventually the younger backs off. Like sometimes they seem like best friends, and sometimes they seem like they just can't get along. Keep in mind these are my first guinea pigs, so I don't have any others to compare them to.
I can't get a third guinea pig. It's not in the budget, and two eat through my wallet as it is. Also, their cage is 16 square feet, and I can't expand it currently. Their diet is great, they're both perfectly healthy. But any other advice is much appreciated!