A what stage would you separate piggies.

[Debslou]

Hi all as you may or may not know our story goes we were sold 4 boys for kiddies, with no clue about guinea pigs, anyway have since done my research they are homed in a 6x2 c anc with a 2x2 loft they have one each of everything! And will be extending cage again in a couple of weeks so I can split it into two 2x4s if needed, anyway the boys have been great apart from the odd rumble strutt they have been getting along fine untill last night when I had all 4 of them chattering teeth it was constant they were no where near each other expect one did lunge at another just the once, no scuffles like i said apart from that one lunge they were all just chattering very loudly, I don't know what set it off and am not sure why all 4 were chattering teeth, anyway I diffused the situation by putting some tasty treats down they ate thier treats and that was it didn't hear another peep all night, they are in my bedroom.. They had all just had thier veggies for the night there was fresh hay everywhere! They even had nuggets left so they weren't arguing over food, they were all in thier own little space when the chattering was going on, so they weren't. Fighting for space? From what I understand people will separate if blood is drawn, I presuming I let them figure it out between but do I wait till it gets a full on fight? I don't really want it to come to that, do I take instigator if I catch him away for a chill for the night then try again next morning? How would others go about it? Thank you.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all as you may or may not know our story goes we were sold 4 boys for kiddies, with no clue about guinea pigs, anyway have since done my research they are homed in a 6x2 c anc with a 2x2 loft they have one each of everything! And will be extending cage again in a couple of weeks so I can split it into two 2x4s if needed, anyway the boys have been great apart from the odd rumble strutt they have been getting along fine untill last night when I had all 4 of them chattering teeth it was constant they were no where near each other expect one did lunge at another just the once, no scuffles like i said apart from that one lunge they were all just chattering very loudly, I don't know what set it off and am not sure why all 4 were chattering teeth, anyway I diffused the situation by putting some tasty treats down they ate thier treats and that was it didn't hear another peep all night, they are in my bedroom.. They had all just had thier veggies for the night there was fresh hay everywhere! They even had nuggets left so they weren't arguing over food, they were all in thier own little space when the chattering was going on, so they weren't. Fighting for space? From what I understand people will separate if blood is drawn, I presuming I let them figure it out between but do I wait till it gets a full on fight? I don't really want it to come to that, do I take instigator if I catch him away for a chill for the night then try again next morning? How would others go about it? Thank you.

It sounds like your boys are now likely hitting the hormones as their testicles are starting to be on the move. Separation time has come!
It would be good if you could try and work out who is best getting along with who to form two pairs. You will get to see some bonding/dominance behaviours as each pair is establishing their own group hierarchy and identity. That is the backbone of how guinea pig social life works.

Please take the time to read these guides here; they will hopefully help you to make your decisions and brace you for the coming weeks.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next? (Also includes tips on how to strengthen boar bonds during this time; the tools for working out whether a bond is stable or not are the same with quartet as they are with a pair)
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.

All the best! It is not going to be a very easy task, but you can hopefully work out who's tolerating who.

 

[Debslou]

Thank you have a read through they will be getting just over 4 months old now, so guessing that's where this is all stemming from, I have a good idea of who I would try and pair up together...will keep reading and make sure its done right.. Fingers crossed we have two working pairs as haven't got space to separate more.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you have a read through they will be getting just over 4 months old now, so guessing that's where this is all stemming from, I have a good idea of who I would try and pair up together...will keep reading and make sure its done right.. Fingers crossed we have two working pairs as haven't got space to separate more.

Yep - the testicles are definitely on the march! When you look at the genitalia, you should see swellings to either side of them now.
Sexing Guide


As they descend and form the anal sac between them, and as sperm output etc is becoming more of an issue, it would be advisable to start your weekly boar MOT together with the regular weekly weigh-in and body onceover. This is an important task as it allows you spot developing issues early on and deal with them before they become a major problem.
Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Guinea pig body quirks (teaches you what is normal and what not)
Guide to Cutting Guinea Pig Nails
Syringe Training Before The Need For Medicating

Your boys will get used to that regular routine over time although in my opinion boars are the greater wimps when it comes to nail cutting as they tend to start growing out around this age.

 

[Debslou]

Thank you all this info is priceless..we had them all at the vets 2 weeks after getting them just to make sure they were all in good health and have been weighing them weekly ever since..i have been at work today and sort of dreading going home after last night if I happen to go home and they have wounds is there anything I can treat with at home or from pharmacy if they are superficial, obviously if I come across anything other than i will be making a trip to vets, just read they can be prone to infection from wounds.. Would a salt water mix be ok?