Females Acting Strange

Question
Hi Lorena..

I have two female guinea pigs, and for the past few weeks, one is trying to mount the other, for hours on end.  She is purring and rubbing her bottom on the floor, then pouncing on the other guinea pig.  The other guinea pig is getting very upset and defensive, they fight all day long, and hiss at each other.  I'm sad because I don't want them to fight, what should I do?

Answer
Coreen --

Well, I will say this: are you positive they are both female?  This behavior is not typical for females, but is very typical for males when they are housed with an "in-season" female.  If you are sure they are both female, then I would try separating them for a few days to see if the behavior settles down.  If you are not positive they are both female, I would check with your vet or a reputable breeder and have them sexed.  If you bought them at a pet store, I would definitely doubt the genders you were told.  Pet stores are notorious for incorrectly selecting a gender.  In fact, I probably receive 2 or 3 emails a WEEK about a pet store that has misidentified a guinea pig's sex.

Hope this is helpful.  If you have any more questions, or if you need clarification on anything, please feel free to contact me.  Good luck!

Lorena