g. pig temperament

Question
Hello.  My husband and I owned a very docile g. pig who died this summer at age 9. Oscar had lived alone, and seemed fine with it, but then we read that g. pigs should have a friend of the same sex.  So, we acquired 2 males from the same litter, about 10 weeks old, and not abused.  Neither one bites, but they scream and struggle when they are handled.  There are no children in the home, so they are not handled roughly.  We were told that the more we handle them, the calmer they will become.  That has not happened.  Now they are about 6 months old.  Are they exhibiting juvenile behavior?  I am ready to give them to a no-kill shelter and try with another pair.  Or might the situation change as they get older?  Or is it an unpredictable situation? Thank you.

Answer

Abyssinian guinea pig   I think you're right, they're just showing juvenile behavior. It may work better for you if you separate the two of them. You might also try swaddling them in a towel when you pick them up and hold them. That tends to calm them down.

I've always felt that the boys made better pets than the girls, but when there are two of them in the same cage they start to reach sexual maturity, then they start to challenge one another. The only time I've been able to keep two boys together happily is when I put a very young boar in with a very old one. The older pig is past breeding and just isn't that interested in a push and shove match.

Not every pig has the same kind of temperament. Some are docile and some are boogers about being held. Some breeds are more docile than others. Abyssinians for example are extremely rambunctious and unwilling to sit still. The longhaired breeds seem much quieter by nature.

My Teddies are much calmer than my Americans. I'm not sure why that is, but for all the years I've raised pigs it's always been the case. I'm not sure if you know what breed of pigs you have but I'm going to post a picture of an Aby for you so you can see what I'm talking about.

I think because of their odd growing coats they don't like to be petted. All pigs like to be stroked the way their hair grows. With an Aby it grows all over, so it's very difficult to pet them at all.  

Although cavies are herding animals they can indeed live a happy life having no other company but their human, as you've already experienced. I would try separating the two boys from each other to see if that changes their attitudes.  If not, you may want to trade them in for something that will keep peace in the household.