RosieBee
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi there, I could really do with some advice and support for my 3yr old boar Jett.
He was bonded with his father who unfortunately died 3 weeks ago. It was a very peaceful relationship and Dad was the boss. There were only ever a few occasions where dominance flared up but it would pass very quickly.
Jett was obviously grieving his Dad Tubby
We gave them time together after Tubby passed so Jett knows that he is gone. He became quiet and withdrawn and we knew we needed to find him a mate.
We took Jett to choose a new pal, which he appeared to do, a little 4 week old fluff ball. I'm in Australia living rurally so there were no rescues to try do longer introductions and bonding, so we have done the best we can to ensure Jett didn't decline from grief.
Over the next few days, it became obvious that he didn't want to interact with the baby, he wasn't taking him under the wing, he just sat in a hide very separate from the baby.
I also have another pair of boars in an adjoining cage that has a male slightly older than Jett called Possum, and a 5month old called Cream. Jett and Possum have always been curious about each other, screaming from cages to try get close.
We thought given that Jett wasn't interested in the baby, that we would give him a go with Possum. They already knew each other so they were introduced outside in a 5x4 grid run. There were usual dominance displays, but overall, it seemed to be going well and looked promising.
We moved them into a 3x4 grid inside on neutral ground, things ramped up a bit, but it didn't seem bad. Possum was laying in front of a hay bag and water bowl blocking access, but there were multiples in the cage, and a massive pile of hay to burrow and hide in, as well as eat. Possum seemed a bit incessant in his chasing and humping, but they would lay together in the corner, eat veg scattered around the cage, eat side by side from the hay bags, and it looked pretty good, with some wariness about potential bully behaviour.
The next step was to move into the proper cage in the lounge, the one Jett shared with his Dad. I extended it from a 2x4 with 2x2 loft to a 2x5 with the 2x2 loft and rearranged it so it was different. I also deep cleaned the cage and all bedding, using some of the bedding from the inside bonding cage. It's here I note there is only 1 ramp to the loft, I am awaiting 2 new ones. Otherwise there was 2 of everything, multiple feed locations, water etc. I started off with 3 hole hides, but had to remove them when it became obvious they were causing problems. I left hay (like LOADS) of hay to hide in.
Things appear to have not gone well. Jett has bite marks and scratches on his skin and after initially being more spirited and happy in the beginning stages of bonding, he became very withdrawn and quiet, and dropped a little weight. Unfortunately I was away over the weekend and didn't see if there was any aggressive behaviour to cause the injuries, but I have seen incessant chasing, blocking in corners, chasing off food, bailing Jett up in an increasing fashion so have dropped a divider in between to see what happens. Jett had a life in the corner and had to rumble and run any other place he wanted to go.
Jett has been moving around a lot more freely with the barrier in place. Possum is very unhappy about it, they are both rumbling at each other from other sides of the barrier, but overall, Jett doesn't seem as withdrawn and unhappy. He certainly isn't trying to break down the wall to get back with Possum.
Is this a bond gone wrong? Or is it an error on my part with the new cage not being big enough, or the single ramp? Yesterday when outside in the 4x5, Possum only left Jett alone when he was busy trying to mind the business of the other babies in the next door pen. When the babies were in hides, Possum went right back to keeping Jett in the corner. Now there is a divider outside too so Jett can actually move around.
My partner and I are still very much grieving Tubby so it's an emotional mess trying to figure out what is best to do. Any advice or suggestions? I don't want Jett to live alone on the other side of a divider from a bully.
I also feel sorry for Possum cuz he had a pal with Cream, I split them up, and now he is on the other side of a divider too. Possum was a solo pig rescue whose humans didn't want him so he didn't really know how to guinea pig anyway, but I want the best life for them all, but I don't want to add another 2 pigs in the mix either!
We have 2 4x5 outdoor runs, 1 3x4 inside neutral pen, and 2 2x5s with 2x2 lofts, so there really isn't any more space I can give! What do I do here?!
He was bonded with his father who unfortunately died 3 weeks ago. It was a very peaceful relationship and Dad was the boss. There were only ever a few occasions where dominance flared up but it would pass very quickly.
Jett was obviously grieving his Dad Tubby
We gave them time together after Tubby passed so Jett knows that he is gone. He became quiet and withdrawn and we knew we needed to find him a mate.
We took Jett to choose a new pal, which he appeared to do, a little 4 week old fluff ball. I'm in Australia living rurally so there were no rescues to try do longer introductions and bonding, so we have done the best we can to ensure Jett didn't decline from grief.
Over the next few days, it became obvious that he didn't want to interact with the baby, he wasn't taking him under the wing, he just sat in a hide very separate from the baby.
I also have another pair of boars in an adjoining cage that has a male slightly older than Jett called Possum, and a 5month old called Cream. Jett and Possum have always been curious about each other, screaming from cages to try get close.
We thought given that Jett wasn't interested in the baby, that we would give him a go with Possum. They already knew each other so they were introduced outside in a 5x4 grid run. There were usual dominance displays, but overall, it seemed to be going well and looked promising.
We moved them into a 3x4 grid inside on neutral ground, things ramped up a bit, but it didn't seem bad. Possum was laying in front of a hay bag and water bowl blocking access, but there were multiples in the cage, and a massive pile of hay to burrow and hide in, as well as eat. Possum seemed a bit incessant in his chasing and humping, but they would lay together in the corner, eat veg scattered around the cage, eat side by side from the hay bags, and it looked pretty good, with some wariness about potential bully behaviour.
The next step was to move into the proper cage in the lounge, the one Jett shared with his Dad. I extended it from a 2x4 with 2x2 loft to a 2x5 with the 2x2 loft and rearranged it so it was different. I also deep cleaned the cage and all bedding, using some of the bedding from the inside bonding cage. It's here I note there is only 1 ramp to the loft, I am awaiting 2 new ones. Otherwise there was 2 of everything, multiple feed locations, water etc. I started off with 3 hole hides, but had to remove them when it became obvious they were causing problems. I left hay (like LOADS) of hay to hide in.
Things appear to have not gone well. Jett has bite marks and scratches on his skin and after initially being more spirited and happy in the beginning stages of bonding, he became very withdrawn and quiet, and dropped a little weight. Unfortunately I was away over the weekend and didn't see if there was any aggressive behaviour to cause the injuries, but I have seen incessant chasing, blocking in corners, chasing off food, bailing Jett up in an increasing fashion so have dropped a divider in between to see what happens. Jett had a life in the corner and had to rumble and run any other place he wanted to go.
Jett has been moving around a lot more freely with the barrier in place. Possum is very unhappy about it, they are both rumbling at each other from other sides of the barrier, but overall, Jett doesn't seem as withdrawn and unhappy. He certainly isn't trying to break down the wall to get back with Possum.
Is this a bond gone wrong? Or is it an error on my part with the new cage not being big enough, or the single ramp? Yesterday when outside in the 4x5, Possum only left Jett alone when he was busy trying to mind the business of the other babies in the next door pen. When the babies were in hides, Possum went right back to keeping Jett in the corner. Now there is a divider outside too so Jett can actually move around.
My partner and I are still very much grieving Tubby so it's an emotional mess trying to figure out what is best to do. Any advice or suggestions? I don't want Jett to live alone on the other side of a divider from a bully.
I also feel sorry for Possum cuz he had a pal with Cream, I split them up, and now he is on the other side of a divider too. Possum was a solo pig rescue whose humans didn't want him so he didn't really know how to guinea pig anyway, but I want the best life for them all, but I don't want to add another 2 pigs in the mix either!
We have 2 4x5 outdoor runs, 1 3x4 inside neutral pen, and 2 2x5s with 2x2 lofts, so there really isn't any more space I can give! What do I do here?!
and two happy neighbours
