Chattering at my other Guinea Pig

Question
Hi,

I have 2 male guinea pigs and the one chatters at the other one but you see we bougth them both at the same time and they were both out of the same cage. Do you know why the one chatters at the other?

Answer
Hi Tonya,

Teeth chattering is a normal, common dominance behaviour. Since they are both boys, there will be extra issues and tempers between the ages of 4 months and 1 year, when they go through puberty.

The best way you can encourage them to get along is to provide plenty of cage space for them (www.cavycages.com), allow them extra floor time, and to let them have their own spaces within the cage (separate hideys and food dishes in different areas of the cage). These steps minimise the chances of you having to separate them if their hormones make them too aggressive.

Other dominance behaviours - regardless of the gender mix - which are normal include:

Rumblestrutting
Mounting
Chasing
Butt-sniffing
Nose-offs

It is irreleveant in terms of dominance that the boys may be related or were bought at the same time.

Best Wishes,

- Laura
www.cavy-care.com