Greetings,
We've just brought home two guinea pigs, having not owned piggies for about 15 years, so very exciting! They're two 10 week old girls (names still being debated!), and are 'indoor' pigs.
My previous piggies were always outdoor ones, so it's been quite interesting seeing their behaviour more closely. We've had them for two days, and they seem to be settling - eating (non-stop!), drinking, running around the cage (guinea pig no. 1 is particularly lively and likes to do full tilt laps around the cage and jump about), squeaking/mumbling to themselves.
However, despite being together previously with some other guinea pigs, they've had a few 'arguments' since coming home. After about an hour in their new cage, piggie no. 1 seemed to decide the whole home was 'hers' including both hidey holes, the good hay eating spot, the food bowls and the water bottle! She ensured this by chasing guinea no. 2 round the cage, rumbling, nipping (or appearing to nip), hogging the relevant parts etc.
We were a bit worried at first, but piggie no. 2 seems fine, unhurt, still goes up to piggie no. 1 (even had a go at piggie no. 1 earlier when she stole her bit of hay), is eating, drinking, running round. Piggie no. 1 seems to have calmed down too, and will now share water, food, houses most of the time (she chased no. 2 round earlier, but this was after running around like a loon on her own first, so it may have just been for fun, even though she rumbled at the other?). We did go and buy two of everything, but they seem to be sharing now so we've stuck to having 1 water bottle (but kept 2 bowls and houses).
Anyway, that's what they've been up to so far - from looking at other posts this all seems to be normal...right!? I don't want any guinea pig bullying going on!!
On a separate note, we're letting them settle before picking them up etc, so I was thinking I should give them a week before getting them out for floor time - does this sound sensible?
Thanks!
We've just brought home two guinea pigs, having not owned piggies for about 15 years, so very exciting! They're two 10 week old girls (names still being debated!), and are 'indoor' pigs.
My previous piggies were always outdoor ones, so it's been quite interesting seeing their behaviour more closely. We've had them for two days, and they seem to be settling - eating (non-stop!), drinking, running around the cage (guinea pig no. 1 is particularly lively and likes to do full tilt laps around the cage and jump about), squeaking/mumbling to themselves.
However, despite being together previously with some other guinea pigs, they've had a few 'arguments' since coming home. After about an hour in their new cage, piggie no. 1 seemed to decide the whole home was 'hers' including both hidey holes, the good hay eating spot, the food bowls and the water bottle! She ensured this by chasing guinea no. 2 round the cage, rumbling, nipping (or appearing to nip), hogging the relevant parts etc.
We were a bit worried at first, but piggie no. 2 seems fine, unhurt, still goes up to piggie no. 1 (even had a go at piggie no. 1 earlier when she stole her bit of hay), is eating, drinking, running round. Piggie no. 1 seems to have calmed down too, and will now share water, food, houses most of the time (she chased no. 2 round earlier, but this was after running around like a loon on her own first, so it may have just been for fun, even though she rumbled at the other?). We did go and buy two of everything, but they seem to be sharing now so we've stuck to having 1 water bottle (but kept 2 bowls and houses).
Anyway, that's what they've been up to so far - from looking at other posts this all seems to be normal...right!? I don't want any guinea pig bullying going on!!
On a separate note, we're letting them settle before picking them up etc, so I was thinking I should give them a week before getting them out for floor time - does this sound sensible?
Thanks!