My sow guinea pigs keep fighting, why?

Question
I have had my girl guinea pigs for about two years and they have been fantastic! Now my guinea pigs keep fighting constantly whether over food, toy, or sleeping area. I tried to separate them, but whenever I put them back togeather they just keep fighting. Can you please help me. I'm very concerned and want them to get along. Thank You!!!!

Answer
My first question is are they fighting as in biting, open wounds, blood drawing or is this just a push and shove kind of dominance?  If that's the case, and there is no blood being shed they will just have to learn to get along.  Many times you have a sow that is just truly bitchy and bent on showing the rest who's boss. My experience has been that they don't get over that behavior.

In every herd or crowd there's always a 'boss hog' and a very submissive pig who will put up with it. They learn to adjust and can live together provided nobody is getting hurt.

If your bossy girl is determined to hurt the other then you need to separate them. Sometimes when a sow comes into heat they act that way, but it resolves when they're over it. I know this sounds like a silly question, especially when you've had your pigs for so long...... are you sure you have two females?  Boars will often behave like this as they get more mature and reach their sexual prime. When that happens they have to be permanently separated.

Separating them doesn't necessarily make them 'cool off and think it over.'  Sometimes it just makes the aggression start all over again.  You may be in a situation where you should keep them apart and leave them that way.

I have had sows that just refused to learn to 'play nice with others' and had to be kept apart unless in breeding. I had one gal that was so aggressive she scared the boar to pieces that was supposed to be her breeding partner. Poor guy just stuck his head in the corner and refused to get out.  It's unusual for the sows to be that aggressive to a boar, but it was a no win situation.

I have a feeling you're probably going to have to settle for separate cages just to keep peace in the household.