Biting of fur - two boars

[ThePiggyPalace]

I've posted previously regarding my two boars. One is two years old and the other is almost five. The five year old has always been the dominant one, but the younger one is very spirited and quite boisterous and has at times challenged that dominance.

The younger one started biting the fur on the rump area of my older one if the older one was first to greet me, for example, or is first at the feeding bowls (they have two). They otherwise get along fine.

I've now noticed a balding patch on my older boys bum where the younger one has been plucking the fur and I'm at a loss of what to do. It's not like he understands me telling him it's unkind behaviour! The older one doesn't flinch when the older one does this, but I think it must hurt having fur plucked out, even if it's only a few strands per time. I see the fur in the younger ones mouth. I did get a baby about four months ago, who lives with another of my boars, which the fur plucker was very excited about and come to think about it, this behaviour may well have started then.

As older boar and fur plucker haven't fought, I don't want to separate them, but what can I do? Would time apart from a few days and then a reintroduction on neutral territory work?

 

[Piggies&buns]

This is called barbering and happens for a variety of reasons. I’ve added the guide below for you to read.

There isn’t much you can do about it.
If they aren’t fighting and the barbering isn’t severe then we would not recommend separating them at all (separation can break a bond so it’s not something you ever want to do unless there is real cause or concern for a dysfunctional bond).

We don’t recommend the use of food bowls at all, and instead recommend that food (veg and pellets) is scattered into hay piles and loose around the cage floor.

Barbering (Eating Hair)

 

[ThePiggyPalace]

Hello @Piggies&buns thanks so much for your advice. I'm definitely going to try the scattering the food around and not use bowls. They're not humans after all!