Expert: Nicole Bury - 11/7/2009

Question
Hi, me again! I spoke to you about introducing my younger male piggy with my older male. I took your advice and my dad made a pen for them to run around in which i could easily seperate them if they started to fight. So far, i dont think they have been fighting. It sounds silly but im not sure if their behaviour would be clasifyed as fighting - them chase each other around and rummble, constantly looking for and smelling at each others bums! it seems that the bigger piggy is becoming more dominant than the smaller one as he is doing most of the chasing around, he is now trying and sometimes succeeding in mounting him (on his head most of the time!), and sometimes the little one allows him to like his ears. But i think the big ones not leaving the little one alone is starting to stress the little one out because he is squeeking now when he is being mounted and chased, but he likes it when he has his ears liked as he lies down until he gets a fright (i think it might just be a tickle) Im not sure what all of this bevavior means or if it is good :/ please help.

thanks,
Emma.

Answer
Hello again Emma!
I think its great that your father built them a cage, I love it when a whole family can help with a pet/pets!
As for the 'fighting' I can surely say that they are horny pigs! It is normal for same sex pigs to try to mount each other, but can get annoying to yourself and them. Make sure you sexed the guinea pigs gender correctly as 9/10 it is incorrect the first time around, especially with the younger ones. This will come in handy for all the pigs safety now, and later. We wouldn't want any surprise babys!
Try this site for further information: http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm
Just make sure that they do not fight and this behavoir should die down with lots of supervised time together. After about three months they might be able to live together. Good luck!