Dominance Fighting Female Guinea pigs

[patriciamarge]

I adopted two female pigs about a month and a half ago now. Everything was been fine up until a couple of days ago when they started constantly purring and running. Now I have one mounting the other. The odd thing is I was told they were a bonded pair and they really really seemed that way. The quieter one would freak out a bit if I left her alone in the cage. Now she's the one mounting and instigating the trouble.

Firstly, I don't know what to do! And secondly, why would this be happening ?

 

[Princess_Piggie]

That isn't fighting, that's dominance behaviour and it's perfectly normal. Dominance behaviour can go on for a few months when pigs arrive at a new home, and females will do this every 14-17 days when they go in to heat also. Unless they're drawing blood, or turning into a flying ball of fur that's in the middle of a fight, it's not considered fighting. It sounds like yours are in heat though.

How large is your cage? Sometimes space is the reason dominance behaviour is extended. Have you checked they're both females? Some rescues get it wrong.

 

[bpatters]

They're in heat. It's perfectly normal. Mine do it every 14-16 days.

If your pigs are older, and if the rumbling goes on constantly, one or the other may have hormonal problems such as ovarian cysts. Do you know how old they are?