Dominance Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

[Karleen Garcia]

Hello everyone. We have had our two girls for over a week now. They were in the same cage when I got them and in the same cage now. I have been noticing that when it comes to lap time or even when I let them run back and forth on our couches, Butterscotch (brown/white) likes to try and bite Cocoa. All cocoa does is try to hide or cuddle with her and at first Butterscotch is ok then all of sudden she jumps at cocoa. Is this a dominance thing? Is it possible that butterscotch gets jealous when we give cocoa lap time without her?

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[scoottie]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

How big is the cage? Do you have two of everything? If that is a pig hide that you use in the cage take it out along with any one opening hides that you may have. What you are witnessing sounds like it could be lunging which yes it is a dominance thing.

 

[Karleen Garcia]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

[MENTION=36499]scoottie[/MENTION] I have a 2x4 c&c cage with a 2x1 loft. I have two water bottles, hay rack and one pellet bowl. They have this igloo hide out and a corner curtain. Most of the time they'll just be relaxing and playing tag but out of no where Butterscotch goes after cocoa


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[scoottie]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

I would cut another hole in that igloo and get another bowl and split the pellets between the two bowls that is what I did with mine. When my Leo went after his brother Sawyer I did a buddy bath and it seems to have helped the problem.

 

[scoottie]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

Also another thing she could be in heat as well

 

[Karleen Garcia]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

[MENTION=36499]scoottie[/MENTION] you that's what I was thinking as well. Is there a way to know for sure. There hasn't been any mounting going on but a lot of bum sniffing.


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[scoottie]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

Usually they go into heat every 16 days. Mostly noticeable is getting grumpy and mounting. Butt sniffing is a dominance thing as well.

 

[Karleen Garcia]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

@scootie thank you for you help! Back then I only had one guinea pig (6 years ago and didn't know better) so having two is brand new to me. I'm going to try your suggestions and hope that eases the tension and Butterscotch cools down.


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[scoottie]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

No problem I have only had one pig but that was because he wouldn't want anyone with him except human mainly me he followed me around the house. I have only had boars which is a challenge by itself with puberty.

 

[jaycriae]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

It may also help to get rid of the loft and use the material to expand your cage to a 2x5. That way they're less in each other's faces and it also removes something they could bicker over.


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[Karleen Garcia]

Re: Butterscotch has a habit of trying to "bully" cocoa. Should I be concerned?

[MENTION=32120]jaycriae[/MENTION] I would if it didn't mean I had to get rid of a couch. I would love to have a 2x5 but that is why I made the loft. That way if one got tired of the other, one could go upstairs and relax.


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