Two female piggies fighting

[SharonStrzelecki]

We've recently got two female guinea pigs. They were put together in the hutch where we bought them for about two weeks before we brought them home and there were no problems. I know that they're fighting now, one has grown faster than the other and she's biting the smaller one. Are there any solutions other than separating?

[EastMidsGPs]

Give them plenty of places to hide in alone, two mine have two separate food bowls but I suspect they both eat out of one at a time.
Move their things about to confuse them.
I have 2 girls, not sisters, and they bicker constantly. Did have nipped ears to start with.
Yours may settle down once dominance has been sorted. They'll still squabble tho

[EastMidsGPs]

Others here will have more suggestions.

[SharonStrzelecki]

Thank you EastMids, it's good to hear some suggestions. They've got their own igloos, I'll try another food bowl and some more entertainment!

[SharonStrzelecki]

I still need help please if anyone has any more ideas? I've tried plenty of food all the time and some toys but the big one is still threatening the smaller one.

[EastMidsGPs]

Could you possibly video them fighting and post it here?
Someone will then be able to tell you if it is serious or normal squabbling.
And hopefully help

[FernieB]

Sounds like they're trying to establish dominance. Once this is sorted the squabbling should die down a bit but they may always bicker. So long as they're not drawing blood, its not too bad. Don't separate them unless it gets vicious. Getting them back together may be impossible after a separation. My original boys bickered constantly for nearly 4 years, but they didn't want to be apart. It was just how they were together.

[FernieB]

Position the igloos so they don't face each other, so the pigs don't have to look at each other all the time. You could try bathing them so they both smell the same. This has the effect of uniting them in their hatred of you.

[SharonStrzelecki]

Thanks for the tips! Good idea about the bath, Fernie. I'm afraid it already has come to blood, there's a scab on the back of the smaller pig. The fighting doesn't happen constantly, in fact I've never seen an actual fight, but I have seen the bigger pig doing a kind of waddle whilst making a machine gun noise. I'm really desperate not to separate them - I've had to do that with two pigs in the past and as well as having two hutches, runs etc it also means two sad, solitary pigs.

[FernieB]

The waddle is the 'rumblestrut'. It's a dominance thing. I did have one pig who took a piece out of the others ear before they settled down. If it gets worse can you partition the cage so they're safe but can see and smell and touch noses through bar etc? Then they're together but a bit apart. I would not separate at all unless absolutely necessary.

[SharonStrzelecki]

Thank you Fernie, that's reassuring to know. It does actually seem to have settled down a bit, so maybe they'll be ok? I really hope so! And rumblestrut is an excellent name for it! I could partition the cage they're currently in if necessary but will keep my fingers crossed it doesn't come to that.

[EastMidsGPs]

Is the smaller one distressed or simply sort of putting up with it?
If the latter I am inclined to also say it's a dominance thing and will sort itself out.

[SharonStrzelecki]

She's putting up with it, doesn't seem distressed at all and doesn't avoid the other pig.

[EastMidsGPs]

Sounds as if all will be ok once dominance has been established however, I have 2 girls who bicker constantly😃