2 guinea pig boys fighting

kelcxoxox

kelcxoxox

New Born Pup
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Hi all, I brought 2 guinea pig boys about a week and half ago from a guinea pig breeder, both boys were from the same hutch and had apparently been together since birth (not brothers) since bringing them to their new home they have gone from quiet to quite the characters, I have noticed since day 3 they both had bites on them and the odd nibble out of the ear over the past few days with there confidence growing I have seen myself them nipping each other shuffling around the cage trying to claim their ground but it's causing them harm as they are constantly having new bites each day, this isn't a skin problem as they have been the vets and confirmed, tonight I decided to seperate them as I put them both out in their run and they just chased each other round biting each other, I feel awful as one of the guineas is trying to run up the ramp to the other guinea but I've closed this off, should i keep them separated I've read so much online and really not sure what's for the best? any help appreciated :)
 
Welcome to the forum
Can’t add to the tag already made.
Have you read through the bonding guides and guides for new owners.
There may be some helpful stuff there for you.
 
Welcome to the forum. Sorry your two boys are not getting along. Hopefully @Wiebke will be able to advise you the best way forward, I have two boars, luckily they get along fine most of the time, they have their odd moments occasionally.
 
hi all thanks for the replies, yes I've read loads most say to seperate straight away but the vet advised trying to let them work it out and it's probably them settling in and one of them will back down as it's to do with dominance but it's like they just love winding each other up, I've not seen them viciously fighting but I don't want to risk it getting to that stage when there out the cage with us there fine it's just when there left on there own :/
 
kelcxoxox said:
Hi all, I brought 2 guinea pig boys about a week and half ago from a guinea pig breeder, both boys were from the same hutch and had apparently been together since birth (not brothers) since bringing them to their new home they have gone from quiet to quite the characters, I have noticed since day 3 they both had bites on them and the odd nibble out of the ear over the past few days with there confidence growing I have seen myself them nipping each other shuffling around the cage trying to claim their ground but it's causing them harm as they are constantly having new bites each day, this isn't a skin problem as they have been the vets and confirmed, tonight I decided to seperate them as I put them both out in their run and they just chased each other round biting each other, I feel awful as one of the guineas is trying to run up the ramp to the other guinea but I've closed this off, should i keep them separated I've read so much online and really not sure what's for the best? any help appreciated :)
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Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry that your boys are not character compatible. What a bummer!

It is sadly a long debunked breeder myth that only brothers get on or that piggies that grow up with each other won't fight. They sound pretty stressed to me, which is sadly not at all uncommon in for sale backyard breeder piggies from less than ideal conditions. :(
Sadly anybody can call themselves a breeder without licensing and control, and the results can be accordingly, as some of my own rescue adoptees have told me. Sadly the same goes for rescues, which is why we have a recommended vetted good standard UK rescue locator at the top. :(

Please split the boys up but allow them interaction through the bars/mesh as they are not wired to be on their own. How large is your hutch and it is an outdoors or an indoors hutch?

Take the time to read through the options in this guide here to work out which way forward is the best for you in the longer term; if you are in the UK and have access to a good vet (we also have a vet locator on the top bar), you might want to consider neutering once the boys are old enough so they can live with a sow each after the necessary 6 weeks post-op wait. It is not a quick solution, but in the long term probably your best bet. Take your time to think things through and don't make any knee-jerk decisions.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths And Facts

This advice is UK based; as I assume that you are too? Please add your county to your account details (via clicking on your username on the top bar), so we can help you better with hopefully with recommendations in your wider area. We have members and enquiries from all over the world. Thank you!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry that your boys are not character compatible. What a bummer!

It is sadly a long debunked breeder myth that only brothers get on or that piggies that grow up with each other won't fight. They sound pretty stressed to me, which is sadly not at all uncommon in for sale backyard breeder piggies from less than ideal conditions. :(
Sadly anybody can call themselves a breeder without licensing and control, and the results can be accordingly, as some of my own rescue adoptees have told me. Sadly the same goes for rescues, which is why we have a recommended vetted good standard UK rescue locator at the top. :(

Please split the boys up but allow them interaction through the bars/mesh as they are not wired to be on their own. How large is your hutch and it is an outdoors or an indoors hutch?

Take the time to read through the options in this guide here to work out which way forward is the best for you in the longer term; if you are in the UK and have access to a good vet (we also have a vet locator on the top bar), you might want to consider neutering once the boys are old enough so they can live with a sow each after the necessary 6 weeks post-op wait. It is not a quick solution, but in the long term probably your best bet. Take your time to think things through and don't make any knee-jerk decisions.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths And Facts

This advice is UK based; as I assume that you are too? Please add your county to your account details (via clicking on your username on the top bar), so we can help you better with hopefully with recommendations in your wider area. We have members and enquiries from all over the world. Thank you!
Click to expand...
hi,

thanks for the reply, yeah that's it do you think they will get less stressed as time goes on at first they didn't make a sound and was so quiet but defiantly slowly coming out of their shells, ive got a quite a large hutch its 2 story which has a door at the top of the ramp to split into 2 which is what I have done today do you think this would be ok as with them being on top/under each other they won't see each other? (the hutch is in the shed as they have come from outdoors but with the current weather and wind I don't like the thought of them being out in it)

would you also reccomend still taking them both out together when we get them out the cage whilst with us?
 
kelcxoxox said:
hi,

thanks for the reply, yeah that's it do you think they will get less stressed as time goes on at first they didn't make a sound and was so quiet but defiantly slowly coming out of their shells, ive got a quite a large hutch its 2 story which has a door at the top of the ramp to split into 2 which is what I have done today do you think this would be ok as with them being on top/under each other they won't see each other? (the hutch is in the shed as they have come from outdoors but with the current weather and wind I don't like the thought of them being out in it)

would you also reccomend still taking them both out together when we get them out the cage whilst with us?
Click to expand...

You can try and see how it goes; have the oven gloves ready though. Otherwise make a divider out of a pannelled rabbit run, so they can still do their interactive boarly stuff but without getting at each other.
Something like this, just so you get the idea: Large 8 Panel, Dog Puppy Rabbit Cage Run PlayPen, Guinea Duck Chicken Enclosure 692453773923 | eBay

If you want to go down the neutering route, please consider travelling as far as Northampton to the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic, which are by far the best neutering vets in our part of the world. I use them myself for my own boys (as well as any other operations).
They are general vets, so you do not pay over the odds, but they see only cats, rabbits and guinea pigs and other small furries, and have therefore much more practice and experience with piggy neuters and ops.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic
 
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