Like human beings, guinea pigs are social animals. They live the best when they are with other guinea pigs. Since they do better in groups, it is always better to have at least two guinea pigs if any. This is the best for the guinea pig. It needs companionship just like humans do. Besides being a social animal like human beings, guinea pigs share another trait with human beings. Each has its own personality. Because each individual guinea pig is different than the others, there are chances that multiple guinea pigs in one place will fight.

Though most thrive on the company of other guinea pigs, it is natural for a little healthy competition between two or more.

When your guinea pigs start chattering their teeth, it is usually a sign that a fight will break out. This usually happens when a new guinea pig is brought into the picture. The fight breaks out when they are trying to figure out their place in the cage, not to mention the hierarchy. When two boars or sows meet for the first time, it is never exactly pleasant. The fur around their necks will be raised to make them seem larger and they may look very agitated. In such situation, it is best to separate the two. Watch your fingers when you do so. To trick them, distract them with a cloth or something which will buy you time to separate them.

If your guinea pigs are not new to each other and they are still fighting, then it is important to determine why this is happening. The possibilities could be anything from the cage being too small, the guinea pigs are feeling cramped or they don’t like to share with each other. In such case, it’s best to have different feeding plates and drinking containers.

If the fights get worse and come to the point where they are getting physically hurt, separation arrangements have to be made. The cages can be kept next to each other. This way, they can still communicate but don’t have the option to physically fight. After some time like a month or so, you can try to reintroduce the guinea pigs to each other. If the results are the same as before then it is best to separate.

It is always important to find ways for the guinea pigs to interact with each other. Besides having an acute sense of smell, hearing and speech, the guinea pigs also need to touch. If they cannot interact with another of its kind by touching, this could affect their overall behavior and health.