CTWC
Forum Donator 2026/27
Never a need to apologise that's what everyone is here for 
Boars falling out
- Thread starter meepfish66
- Start date
CTWC
Forum Donator 2026/27
I think we all sympathise with the stress you are feeling and as you say it's more intense when you desperately want it to work sorry I'm not much help
meepfish66
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi all, sorry to keep messaging. We're a little nervous and stressed, I think partly because of the experience between Chocolate and Tony's bond breaking so early on. Chocolate is definitely trying to prove he's boss, he's mounting Day's rear, he's stolen greens out of Day's mouth, there's been a few periods of intense teeth chattering, then there's periods of calm where they both do their own thing, and then there's periods where Chocolate chases Day or goes into his box and rumblestrutts. We've got a 7x2 ferplast, 3 boxes with 4 exits cut into them, 2 bowls, 2 water bottles, plenty of hay piles, floor time for them both which Day has been starting to come out for too. We've seen both of them eat hay, pellets and drink from the bottle. We hide greens for them to find but always hand feed a bit first and make sure Chocolate gets the first one in deference for him being boss. It just feels stressful when they're displaying the dominance, we really want it to work out for them
Hi
Please accept that your boys are fully into their territorial group establishment, which takes about two weeks. Milder dominance behaviours are essential.
It looks like both are non-aggressive but slightly insecure personalities if it doesn't go past teeth chattering to show where boundaries are and the other side not happy at being told that - but then not pushing the issue; which it is the crucial point.
Just make sure that there are no dead corners or hideys with just one exit where Day could get locked into.
It is tough to watch when you have anxiety and bad experiences but try to be strong and sit it out. Things should calm down gradually over the coming days if the bond is working.
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Reacting to group or territorial changes: Dominance and group establishment/re-establishment
meepfish66
Junior Guinea Pig
Thank you so muchHi
Please accept that your boys are fully into their territorial group establishment, which takes about two weeks. Milder dominance behaviours are essential.
It looks like both are non-aggressive but slightly insecure personalities if it doesn't go past teeth chattering to show where boundaries are and the other side not happy at being told that - but then not pushing the issue; which it is the crucial point.
Just make sure that there are no dead corners or hideys with just one exit where Day could get locked into.
It is tough to watch when you have anxiety and bad experiences but try to be strong and sit it out. Things should calm down gradually over the coming days if the bond is working.
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Reacting to group or territorial changes: Dominance and group establishment/re-establishment
Thank you so much
Please let us know how the boys are settling.
fluffysal
Forum Donator 2026/27
Hold your nerve, what seems dramatic to us is normal to them. I have a 4ish year old with a teenager who's testing his boundaries at the moment. I'm trying to ignore the rumbles, squeals and nose punching, instead looking at the playing and popcorning.
Easier said than done, I know!
Hoping it works out for your gorgeous boys.
Easier said than done, I know!
Hoping it works out for your gorgeous boys.
piggieminder
Paw Holder
I'm not sure if I read this right but are you giving them floor time? If you are I would consider not doing that until they are getting on better. Any change in environment will cause another round of dominance, even a complete change of bedding in the cage can do this. Every time the environment changes they will go back several if not all steps in sorting their relationship out.
Good luck, I really hope your boys will settle. I have a will they won't they stay together pair here at the moment, it certainly strains the nerves!
Good luck, I really hope your boys will settle. I have a will they won't they stay together pair here at the moment, it certainly strains the nerves!
meepfish66
Junior Guinea Pig
I'm worried about Chocolate.
He was 1151g before he went to the rescue, I weighed him when he came home and he was 1140g, and now he's 1120g, which he was yesterday and today. He's very active, a lot more than he ever was before the rescue, he's constantly chasing poor Day and rumblestrutting a lot whereas before he spent a lot of time lying in his house.
Google says to weigh every day for a week so I'm doing that.
He appears to be eating the same amount of hay/pellets/greens and water that he was before and seems to have no problem eating (he's just enjoying his willow ball just now). His eyes/fur and ears look healthy. There's definitely double the poos in the cage and they all look normal.
Is it just stress because of change in environment from the rescue (they've been home a week) and learning to share again (cos he'd been in his own space since May).
Is it an increase in exercise because he is that much more active.
He doesn't popcorn as much as he did before he went but still does a couple a day (mostly when he's been bossing Day about).
I managed to weigh Day by putting his cuddle taxi on the scales and then subtracting the weight of the cuddle taxi and he's a respectable 1,087g.
He was 1151g before he went to the rescue, I weighed him when he came home and he was 1140g, and now he's 1120g, which he was yesterday and today. He's very active, a lot more than he ever was before the rescue, he's constantly chasing poor Day and rumblestrutting a lot whereas before he spent a lot of time lying in his house.
Google says to weigh every day for a week so I'm doing that.
He appears to be eating the same amount of hay/pellets/greens and water that he was before and seems to have no problem eating (he's just enjoying his willow ball just now). His eyes/fur and ears look healthy. There's definitely double the poos in the cage and they all look normal.
Is it just stress because of change in environment from the rescue (they've been home a week) and learning to share again (cos he'd been in his own space since May).
Is it an increase in exercise because he is that much more active.
He doesn't popcorn as much as he did before he went but still does a couple a day (mostly when he's been bossing Day about).
I managed to weigh Day by putting his cuddle taxi on the scales and then subtracting the weight of the cuddle taxi and he's a respectable 1,087g.
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I would not be concerned about his weight - at 31g it is only considered normal daily fluctuation, not weight loss.
Weight loss is only considered loss once it is over 50g and even then only in context of their heft.
The bonding process, having a new friend and increased activity levels would explain the fluctuation.
As he is active, bright and eating then this isn’t concerning
Weight loss is only considered loss once it is over 50g and even then only in context of their heft.
The bonding process, having a new friend and increased activity levels would explain the fluctuation.
As he is active, bright and eating then this isn’t concerning
fluffysal
Forum Donator 2026/27
Sir George lost a fair amount of weight when we bonded him with Mr Bob. He's staying steady at the new weight, which was his old baseline before separation from and subsequent loss of his old companion.
meepfish66
Junior Guinea Pig
I love those names
thanks for sharing, it's nice to know (and thanks @Piggies&buns ) when you've no prior experience of a situation it's good to know that this isn't something to worry about (tho I'm sure I'll find something else to worry about!)CTWC
Forum Donator 2026/27
Bless you for worrying 
But yes as said above that loss isn't classed as significant
But yes as said above that loss isn't classed as significant