INTRODUCING A 6WK OLD GP TO A 6MT H OLD GB.. BOTH MALES ( I THINK)

Question
QUESTION: WE BOUGHT A 6 MONTH OLD MALE GP FOR OUR DAUGHTER 2 WKS AGO. WHILE GETTING HIM SOME FOOD AT THE PET STORE I ADOPTED A 6 WK OLD WK MALE( I THINK) ABOUT A WK LATER. WE PUT THEIR CAGES TOGETHER FOR ABOUT A WK AND THIS WEEKEND WE INTRODUCED THEM TO EACH OTHER.THE OLDER GP WAS MAKING A RUMBLING PURR AND WAS VIBRATING. IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO MOUNT EACH OTHER AND IT SEEMED THAT THE OLDER GP WAS BACKING UP AND WAS READY TO SUBMIT. THEY WERE JUMPING ON EACH OTHER AND THE LITTLE ONE WAS TRYING TO GET AWAY. IS THIS  SIGN OF AGGRESSION THE OLDER ONE TRYING TO SHOW DOMINANCE OR ARE MOUNTING EACH OTHER? IT LOOKED LIKE THE YOUNGER GP HAD A PENIS STICKING OUT, BUT THE OLDER ONE SEEMED TO HAVE PUCKERED REAR. THE YOUNG GP DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE THE PUCKERED REAR.IT APPEARED THE YOUNGER GP WAS MOUNTING THE OLDER FROM THE FRONT. DOES THIS MEAN THE OLDER ONE IS A FEMALE? SHOULD I KEEP THEM SEPARATED? IS ANY OF THIS BEHAVIOR NORMAL? SHOULD I WORRY?

THANK YOU,


ANSWER: Hello!
Try these sites for more information on sexing and behavoir:
http://www.cavyspirit.com/sexing.htm
http://www.pimms-pages.co.uk/language.asp
Guinea pigs do mount the same sex sometimes, but obviously nothing can come of it. Just humping.
I suggest taking the loder one in to be nuetered just in case as 9/10 you and even the vet can sex them wrong.
Seperate them until the first is nuetered. Guinea pigs are sexually mature at 2 weeks.

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

QUESTION: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE. I AM STILL WONDERING IF THE OLDER GP IS NOT ONLY MOUNTING, IS HE ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF BE AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS THE OTHER GP? DOES THIS MEAN HE DOES NOT LIKE THE OTHER GP? THEIR CAGES ARE STILL NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND THEY ARE SQUEAKING IN A HIGH PITCH ALMOST WHISTLE LIKE CRAZY FOR EACH OTHER, AND STANDING UP ON THE BARS TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER. I DO HEAR THE RUMBLING FROM THE OLDER GP AT TIMES WHEN THEY ARE DOING THIS. MY HUSBAND WAS HOLDING THE OLDER GP AND HE NOTICED HE WAS GRINDING HIS TEETH. I ALSO HEARD HIM DO IT SLIGHTLY TO ME IN THE MORNING AS WELL AS SEEMING TO LOOK A LITTLE PUFFED UP STANDING WITH HIS BACK AGAINST THE WALL OF THE CAGE. I AM AFRAID HE IS GOING TO BE AGGRESSIVE WITH MY 6YR OLD DAUGHTER. SHOULD I BE AFRAID TO LET HER HOLD OR PET HIM? I DO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND KNOWLEDGE

Answer
Hello again!
I do not think he will be aggressive with your daughter unless she agrivates him, you know the norm.
I think you should move there cages and hope this passes, as this behavior ussually last 1-3 weeks.
I know what your husband was hearing. Guiea pigs dont grind there teeth but make a similar noise. They chew small bits of food and stuff they keep in there mouth and it sounds like grinding. This is normal.
The mounting is friendly on one end but harrasment on the recieving. This may become violent as the reciever might turn around a bite the harraser one day.
I hope you keep these guiea pigs, and dont just give up hope as many others do. I promise you that the situation will improve, if not dissaper.
The reciever is just scared. The harraser is just horny. I recently answered a question about humping and what a good toy would be for a horny pig. Try looking for it on my page.