guinea pig fighting

Question
QUESTION: My daughter recently rescued a 5 month old female guinea pig from the humane society.  We then found a 4 month old friend for her. We have a large cage and separated them by a wire barrier for 4 or 5 days. We then put them on the floor in an enclosure with fresh food.  They were fine for the first 5 or so minutes sniffing each other under the chin and rump eating the veggies. Then the new guinea pig started to put her hackels up, and strut her but around.  This escolated to fur flying and much squealing (no blood was drawn).  Is it a lost cause, should we bring the second piggy back and try with a different one?

ANSWER: If they're both young they usually work it out between them. The new pig sounds like she wants to be the queen bee and the other isn't quite ready to relinquish her rights to the cage. If there is no bloodshed I'd leave them alone. It may take a couple of days but if nobody is getting truly injured they'll come to a truce.  

Whatever you do, don't put your hand or fingers in the way if they're going at it. That's a sure recipe for a bad bite. Not that they're trying to bite you in particular, but when the adrenaline is rushing and the teeth are gnashing they'll go after anything in the way.

I've found the best way to break it up is using a glove, but not on your hand. Grab a garden glove and give them a good smack with it, right on top of the both of them, when they're fighting or you see the hair going up. If the new gal starts her hair raising, teeth chattering give her a pop to divert her focus. You're not trying to knock them out, just get their attention. If she bites at anything it will be the glove, not you. A cloth glove will not cause them any harm and it will keep your skin on your fingers where it should be.

Another old trick that usually works is to put some Vick's Vapor Rub on the tip of the nose of the aggressor. Put it on top of the nostrils, not right in them. It confuses their sense of smell and they can't get a real focus on the pig already in the cage. They operate on their sense of smell, so if that's 'readjusted' for a few days it often settles the aggressor down, allowing for a little more peaceful transition. We use this when fostering newborns to a sow with babies. That way she can't tell the difference between her babies and the orphans. It works for that every time.

In the meantime watch your other pig for evidence of bites. You usually will find them on the rear as she's trying to get away.  They can easily turn into an abscess. If you see any broken skin wash it thoroughly with soapy water and put some Neosporin or other type of ointment on it.

I hope these suggestions will bring some peace to your household. It's frustrating when your good intentions are not working as they should. Don't be discouraged. If all else fails (and I don't think it will) you can always keep them separated.  Please let me know how things work out for them.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks you were very helpful - one quick question I am going to use the vicks but should we introduce them in neutral territory slowly for 15 min or so per day or clean and deoderize the cage and put them in there and let them duke it out under our watchful eye.  Last time they weren't really so much chasing each other.  After the new piggy was trying to be dominant they squared off facing each other.

Again, I appreciate your time and expertise!!

Tracy

Answer
You can try introducing them in neutral territory. That may work. My own experience is that they start the fussing when they go into the cage. I don't think deodorizing the cage is really that necessary because the resident boar is smelling the new guy, not the cage.  If they weren't chasing each other as much they may be getting to a truce. That's good news.  I'd suggest you try it both ways and see which works the best.  

Good luck to you. And thanks for letting me know how they are.