Advice/help on dominance behaviour

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aimz84**

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Hello, new to the forum.. please may someone help with some advice?
I'm not new.to piggy ownership but new to this situation.

So ive just taken on some male guinea pigs (4 on saturday and 4 today - same lady) that were advertised for free. Not my intention but ended up with 8. Obviously I would love to keep them all if i can find a way to adapt a more permanent housing, but if not then potentially looking a rehoming but thats if i cant get this to work. I went today to collect just one and ended up with 3 babies as the lady is getting rid of her pigs to only keep some females. One of them is tiny, but apparently is 12 weeks.

But i felt like I had to save them. I'm a sucker for a rescue lol.
So I'm just wondering if you can help with housing situations (theyre currently in my shed (separated) but obviously lots of noise from the ones I rescued on saturday. Id like to upload a video tk show whats happening but I cant see how.

Thank you.
 
Welcome to the forum

You will need to upload video to YouTube and then post a link to it here. We are unable to host video directly due to its cost.

Importantly - Are they in pairs?

If they are not in pairs - then do be aware (if you aren’t already) that keeping multiple boars together does not usually work out well (particularly where any youngsters are involved) as they find to very hard to form a functioning hierarchy, fight and need to be separated. (Quartets having almost 100% failure rate).
Boars do much better in pairs so you will probably find you need to separate them for long term success. Each pair would need their own 180x60cm cages.
If you keep them as quartets you will need to keep a very close eye and have back up plans to separate them. Do be aware they if they fight, it could become difficult to form pairs after that and you would likely end up with multiple single piggies.
To attempt a quartet then each group of four would need an exceptionally large space - the recommendation is at least 4 metres by 1 metre (so essentially free roam of a whole shed per four piggies, they could not be caged in any traditional cages due to lack of space)

If they are already in pairs - When piggies move to a new environment, they go into a period of reestablishing their bonds (even if they have always been together) which means you see an increase in dominance in each pair. This is normal and as long as it remains just dominance (ie doesn’t go into fighting or bullying) then you just leave them to get on with it. An increase in dominance tends to last around two weeks.

In any unstable pairs (or groups such as a boar trio or quartet), a move/change in environment/territories can cause underlying issues to the fore accelerating the need to separate.

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Reacting to group or territorial changes: Dominance and group establishment/re-establishment
 
Hi, thank you.
They aren't in pairs already. Theres kne group of 4 one group of 3 and a single piggy, who used to live with the 4 but apparently he was supposed to "sold" on his own and it didn't happen. So i originally went to collect him as he was free (wasn't going to put him back in with them though)
But I was thinking that I may need to separate the 4 into pairs. As there are 2 older ones and 2 younger ones.
I'm trying to find the best way or find them a permanent home, as I wasn't planning on getting this many but couldn't bare the thought of them being given away for free and the way they were living wasn't good. There was at least 5 or 6 in one level of a small double hutch.
Ive been keeping an eye on them and so far they've calmed down from humping each other but there is definitely one more dominant male..

I feel sad that ive tried to help them and I just want to do whats right for them but Ive had a comment on one of my post on a social media site and although I think they mean well, It made me feel awful that ive potentially made the situation worse becauaeits a new environment. Even though they were all living either together or next to each other previously.
I will be adapting as best I can but do you suggest putting them above each other in pairs? So for example I extra large double hutch type thing (I use.this as an example for the levels)

Thank you

Sorry for babbling.
 
You have done a lovely thing in rescuing them. It’s not an easy situation given the number of piggies but you sound to be prepared for what needs to be done.
We pride ourselves on being nothing like social media and instead we are supportive and will offer helpful advice to you.

Each pair can have a 6ft hutch. They absolutely can be above each other.
The only time being above each other doesn’t work is for single piggies. Single piggies need to have side by side interaction and unfortunately hutches do not work well for they given their solid sides.
Hopefully with 8 you will be able to make pairs but you do need to be prepared that it may not be that simple in all cases and you could end up with some singles.

Separate them into pairs based on who gets on best, don’t go just by age because age isn’t a defining factor of a successful bond.
Eg if you see an older and a younger are spending more time together then put them as a pairs.
 
Thank you so much. I wish I'd found you before I posted on social media. Ive had a couple of helpful friendly comments but nothing in rhe way that youre helping me.

Ive had piggies for years both male and female but never been in this situation before.

I am looking at other rescue places for them as well, in case this doesn't work out. I couldnt bare to leave them not after what she said about "getting rid". I must admit, just am a sucker for rescuing a piggy. Which is how I ended up with all my others lol.

They are blocked off from each other at the moment in the shed, but still in their groups, and seem to be quite calm at the moment.
Ive been popping out every now ans then to male.siee they're ok, and leaving it pamper and longer each time, so the next time.will be when I go to bed and then again in rhe morning.
But will be looking at what I can change in the meantime.

I really appreciate your help 😊 x
 
Glad to hear they are calm.
Monitor them, get some ideas and plans together and take it from there.
We are all happy to help
 
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