boar troubles

sunflowerpiggies

sunflowerpiggies

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Three weeks ago I bought two 8 week old teddy boars from a local breeder, they are brothers and were separated when they left their mother and each bonded with an older boar however after I chose them, the breeder bonded them together again over about a week. The breeder was very professional and was also a vet and when we went to collect the guinea pigs, she assured us that they were getting along really well. However, when we brought them home, they were fine for the first week and then began constantly fighting. They chase each other around the hutch and and hold their noses up at each other and then sometimes even jump at each other and pull out chunks of each others fur, also recently, Benji (my dominant boar) had a cut on the side of his nose, and then another one on his lip which I assume are from fighting. I provide them with a variety of hides however they always used to snuggle and share one, now they sleep with Teddy in the hide and Benji either on top or behind. I tried separating them and putting them into separate runs for a short time yesterday, and to begin with they were both stood squeaking at each other, but then eventually they lost interest and Benji began popcorning loads.
I don't know what to do, as although I know that I should wait until they sort it out themselves unless they draw blood, two weeks feels like a long time and as they are only three months old, I worry that things will only get worse as they become teenagers. Also the tiny bit of blood on Benji's face made me worry that something really awful could happen to one of them, however I would feel awful separating them as they share a hide every night.
Any advice would be appreciated
thanks
 
You could always trail a separation and see whether they perk up alone or look for one another- if it's the latter they are bonded.

Bonding can take time and the change of environment is likely what caused them to start this bickering again. My boys today still have the odd bicker.
 
when I tried putting them in the separate runs, Teddy was either exploring or looking for Benji, and Benji perked up and was popcorning, should I try again for a longer period of time and see if that behaviour continues? How long would I seperate them for?
 
Sorry to hear about your trouble. I also hope it is just the new environment and once they settle down, they will get along again.
Boys need a bigger space to roam around so I wondered how big your cage was.
 
currently they are living in a two levelled 2x4 foot hutch, and when it is sunny they have a massive run to play in. This is not ideal but is only temporary as we are building a 6x5 foot shed which they will have free range of
 
sunflowerpiggies said:
currently they are living in a two levelled 2x4 foot hutch, and when it is sunny they have a massive run to play in. This is not ideal but is only temporary as we are building a 6x5 foot shed which they will have free range of
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Let's just hope once they get into a bigger place they will stop fighting.
Boys can't stay in a small place together. They need much more room.
 
I thought 60x120cm was the minimum floor space so it was okay temporarily? and the extra level gives them more options to stay away from each other?
 
sunflowerpiggies said:
Three weeks ago I bought two 8 week old teddy boars from a local breeder, they are brothers and were separated when they left their mother and each bonded with an older boar however after I chose them, the breeder bonded them together again over about a week. The breeder was very professional and was also a vet and when we went to collect the guinea pigs, she assured us that they were getting along really well. However, when we brought them home, they were fine for the first week and then began constantly fighting. They chase each other around the hutch and and hold their noses up at each other and then sometimes even jump at each other and pull out chunks of each others fur, also recently, Benji (my dominant boar) had a cut on the side of his nose, and then another one on his lip which I assume are from fighting. I provide them with a variety of hides however they always used to snuggle and share one, now they sleep with Teddy in the hide and Benji either on top or behind. I tried separating them and putting them into separate runs for a short time yesterday, and to begin with they were both stood squeaking at each other, but then eventually they lost interest and Benji began popcorning loads.
I don't know what to do, as although I know that I should wait until they sort it out themselves unless they draw blood, two weeks feels like a long time and as they are only three months old, I worry that things will only get worse as they become teenagers. Also the tiny bit of blood on Benji's face made me worry that something really awful could happen to one of them, however I would feel awful separating them as they share a hide every night.
Any advice would be appreciated
thanks
Click to expand...

Hi!

How big is your cage?

Please be aware that if your two boys are squabbling already now, they are unlikely to make it together once the teenage months with their intensive hormone spikes hit, especially as they are going to hit them all at the same time. :(

Sadly most people insist on babies and choose them for looks rather than who they are hanging out with; it can have consquences. Mutual liking, character compatibility and an age difference go a long way to get a boar pair through the teenage months. With babies you will only know whether they are fully compatible when their adult personalities emerge during teenage.

When your two babies were bonded, they were both reeling from the loss of their 'daddy' boars who were giving them the security and guidance that they need during the formative teenage months. They would have bonded in any cases because at that age the need to not being alone, i.e. 'lost' and 'belonging'/having a group identity is overriding everything.
Unfortunately for you now that they are settling in and are establishing their own group with its hierarchy in the new territory (the post-bonding dominance phase), they are obviously turning out to be fairly evenly matched and on the dominant side. This conflict is only going to intensify once the testosterone really kicks in fully very soon once the testicles start descending over the coming months. :(

While the scratch in itself may be got over; the problem is a deep and long term one - and the long term prognosis is not encouraging if there is a personality clash so early on. You'd best start thinking about long term solutions.

Please take the time to read the these guides below:
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Cage Size Guide
 
sunflowerpiggies said:
I thought 60x120cm was the minimum floor space so it was okay temporarily? and the extra level gives them more options to stay away from each other?
Click to expand...

Guinea pigs are a ground roaming species. Extra levels are nice, but they do not count towards the space requirement. 2x4 ft is minimal for a single piggy, a sow or mixed pair; but is too small for sub-adult boars unless both are very much on the laid-back side, which yours definitely aren't! Teenage boys will need all the ground space they can get, but even that doesn't count if the personalities do not mesh and they cannot agree on a hierarchy.
 
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