Behavior Help! New behavior unwanted/abnormal?

[Prince Remy]

I have two female piggies and they are in two separate cages sharing a fence. Since acquiring the second piggy, Clover, I have noticed that my first one, Honey, has been acting a little off. She no longer seems to want to be out of her cage for pet time and bites me.

She used to be so relaxed with me and would hang out, getting pet and stuff. She gets along with Clover when its floor time. They both wander around together. They just can't be housed together because then Honey bothers Clover, nipping her. Their cages side by side seemed like a good fix. Both were wheeking and popcorning and seem of generally good spirits. WITH THE EXCEPTION of Honey who now doesn't seem to want anything to do with me.

Am I misunderstanding their behavior for joy?
Does Honey just not wanna deal with me because now she has another friend?
I'm really lost and sad.

 

[bpatters]

Well, they're never likely to get along with their being kept separated and then just put together for floor time. Guinea pigs are wired to establish dominance, and they do that every time they meet a new pig. When you repeatedly separate them and put them together, you're forcing them to start all over from square one every time.

I'd suggest completely separating for several days, in cages that are not adjacent to each other. Then do proper introductions according to this site: https://guinea-pigs.livejournal.com/3002707.html

When you put them back together, do so in a cage that's plenty large enough them -- eight square feet at a bare minimum, and more is definitely better. Much better.

Nipping is normal when pigs are establishing dominance. You only separate when there's frank bleeding, or when one pig is being bullied to the point that it can't eat or sleep. If you hang fleece forests strategically in the cage to break up the sight lines, you may find that there are fewer confontations.