Behavior Not sure if this is aggression? Please help...

[sarah0712]

I have recently bought two females guinea pigs. They were previously kept in group of four at the place I bought them from. I've had them for 3 days and since last night one of them has started acting strangly towards the other.

She stands in front and wiggles her body and sometimes tries to climb on top of her, not always from behing, mostly from the side. She is also chasing her around quite a lot. They still share food from the same bowl etc. The other guinea pig for obvious reasons doesn't seem too happy about this!

I am worried that this is a dominence thing, and may lead to aggression. Or are they just sorting out their roles as such? Is this a part of them settling in together? I don't want to end up with unhappy or fighting piggies

 

[Hhbean]

Hi and welcome! Yes they are sorting out who will now be top piggy. As long as there is no blood drawn and they are both eating you should let them work it out on their own. It's hard to watch sometimes because you might feel one of them is being picked on but this is their nature. Would love to see pictures of your piggies!

 

[bpatters]

She's likely just in heat. That happens roughly every two weeks and lasts a couple of days. It's absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

[sarah0712]

She's likely just in heat. That happens roughly every two weeks and lasts a couple of days. It's absolutely nothing to worry about.

Ahh ok thanks. I wasn't sure how old they were when they started coming into heat. They are about 3 and a half months old

 

[Kelly91513]

Because they were in a bigger herd they are just sorting out who's boss and possibly the one doing the chasing and rumble strutting could be in heat. My momma pig does that about once a month (my boyfriend says, "snowball is pissy, she on her period I think") *rolling eyes* at him. Lol

 

[bpatters]

They can start their heat cycles as early as 4-6 weeks of age.