If you love guinea pigs, you might want to keep more than one. But will guinea pigs kill each other? Do guinea pigs get along with each other or do they fight?
The good news is: guinea pigs usually won’t kill each other – as long as you are there to intervene if the fight gets out of control. Properly paired guinea pigs also usually won’t kill each other.
However, it is very important to know which guinea pig pairs are safe to keep together and exactly how many guinea pigs you can safely house together in a single enclosure.
- Guinea pigs are social creatures and experts even recommend housing at least 2 guinea pigs together.
- In most cases, properly socialized and introduced guinea pigs won’t kill each other.
- At the same time, fights between guinea pigs are not entirely unheard of. Often owners have to intervene and separate two fighting cavies.
- If you aren’t there to intervene if a fight starts, there is a chance that a larger guinea pig might accidentally kill a weaker or smaller one.
Also Read: Can Guinea Pigs Live Alone – Is Depression Common in Guinea Pigs?
Do Guinea Pigs Get Aggressive With Each Other?
Yes, there are several reasons why guinea pigs could get aggressive with each other or fight with each other:
- For Dominance
Guinea pigs usually fight for dominance and to establish control of the herd. In such cases, one guinea pig will back off or be submissive and allow the other to establish dominance.
You should keep an eye out when this happens. This is because, sometimes, despite one cavy backing off, a bully-type cavy might get overly aggressive and even try to kill the other meeker cavy. In such cases, it is best to separate the two animals.
- Pain or Illness
If paired correctly, two guinea pigs will live in harmony without any fights. They will also enjoy and welcome each other’s company as they are social, friendly animals who need to be with their kind.
However, if one guinea pig is in pain or is suffering from stress or illness, it may become aggressive or cranky and pick fights with the partner. In such a case, it is important to see your vet right away.
- When the Pairing is not Rightly Done
As a guinea pig owner, you must pair the guinea pigs correctly from the beginning. The RSPCA recommends the following pairings of guinea pigs:
- One neutered male with one or more females
- Two females with one or more neutered brothers they have been reared with from the start.
- An older guinea pig with a younger one – both of the same sex.
- Small Cage or Inadequate Resources
If guinea pigs are stuck together in a small cage without adequate resources like toys, food, water, hay, etc. then they could get hungry, stressed, and aggressive with each other.