Babies fighting

Question
I have to female baby guinea pigs that I got a few weeks ago. When both of them are in the same house, Laverne (the dominant one) tries to nip Shirley (the shy one). They've never brutally attacked each other and blood has never been drawn but it looks like it could escalate into something more serious in the future. I read in a guinea pig book that you could squirt them with a water bottle to get them to stop. Should I do this if they fight?

Answer
Hi Jen,

Nipping is normal dominance behaviour. You may notice mounting, squirting, chasing, rumblestrutting, nose-offs and mild teeth chattering, as other acts which assert dominance.

Squirting them with water will not acheive anything, and punishing them in any way for any reason isn't advised.

What size is the cage? Are there two hidey houses? Too small a cage (see www.cavycages.com) and anything less than one hidey house per guinea pig can cause some friction, and is a common cause of disruption and upset within the gorup.

Best Wishes,

- Laura