Behavior Aggression for my friend's pigs

[CallieLovesPigs]

Hi! So, my friend has 2 guinea pigs, Eggnog and Emma. They are both girls as far as we know. They lived together for almost a year, and then they started fighting. They have to be separated and if they get anywhere near each other they will fight.

I think the cage they were in had a big part in their aggression. Here is the cage: http://www.petco.com/product/12284/...First Home Complete Kit for Guinea Pigs-12284
They have two of these cages, one pig is in each one.

So, why do you think there is aggression?

Also, she is not giving proper care. This is the food she's feeding: http://www.petco.com/product/104959...nea-Pigs.aspx?CoreCat=SAFHPPetType_GuineaPigs
And you know she didn't give them hay until a month ago when I told her they needed hay? And she just gives them a piece and not unlimited hay. Also, she feeds them a leaf of ice berg lettuce daily.

How can I help her with the aggression, and convince her that what she's doing is not good, without being mean or rude?

 

[ShihTzuLover]

Callie, I'm really sorry to tell you this, but your friend needs a wakeup call. I think you need to be firm with her on this because the pigs are not living good lives. The aggression definitely started because the cage is so painfully small. They had no way to get away from each other at all. They need to be eating a pure pellet food and have unlimited hay, and she needs to be told this. Feeding iceberg lettuce, in my opinion, is worse than no veggies at all. They need a variety of nutrient rich veggies - iceberg lettuce is not nutritious in the slightest. She needs to build them a C and C cage as soon as she can, and in a 2 x 5 the girls could get along again if re-introduced properly. Good luck with this, but don't be hard on yourself if you can't help her change.

 

[jessieisabel]

You could also introduce your friend to this site and show her the information we have about cage size, feeding, etc. We have tons of info here!

 

[SqueakyPig]

I would inform her that the cage is too small, and is contributing to her pigs aggression. By showing this site to your friend, you can tell her about feeding requirements (unlimited hay, proper pellets and veggies) and maybe get her to join to ask any questions she has.
To not come across as rude or mean, mention to her that guinea pigs will fight if they don't have enough room in their living space, and it could be the case with her pigs. Introduce C&C's - you could help to find supplies if you wanted. I'm sure she will realise how happy her piggies will be when she sees them popcorn and run laps when given the right care.
Good luck!

 

[CallieLovesPigs]

Thank you! I will tell her about C&C cages, I think she has wanted one since she has seen mine, I will talk to her and help her care for her pigs.