Boys Have Fallen Out, Now Very Depressed.

[waley_bean]

I have 4 guinea pigs, all intact boys. Two brothers live together in their own enclosure and another pair Edwin and Truffle (Not related) also live together. They are all about 6 months old. However the non related pair have had a serious bust up. Originally Edwin was the boss, never aggressively so, but the tables turned and Truffle became very agressive to Edwin, to the point where he eventually bit part of his ear off and attacked his face so Edwin is now all bloody and feeling really sorry for himself.

I have removed Truffle and put him in with the two brothers, which is where he originally lived before Edwin arrived. But Edwin is very snuffly because of his bloody nose and is looking rather battered. He is still eating and drinking but obviously I don't want him living on his own so I'm not sure how soon to introduce a new guinea pig. Also Truffle has bitten one of the brothers' ears. I've heard squeeking but not seen anything serious so I don't know whether to separate him as well, but then I have two pigs living on their own.

Thanks in advance

 

[MerryPip]

Hi and welcome! Sorry it's not in better circumstances!

I would have to suggest you keep Truffle on his own rather than risk the bond of the established pair by adding him in. Boar trios are notoriously difficult to get right and you don't want to upset the already good bond between your brothers.

For now I would keep Truffle and Edwin separate but maybe where they can see and smell each other without causing damage. After a fight like that it's unlikely they will re-bond but not impossible. Try reading these two threads for some ideas about their behaviour but I would suggest keeping them separate until you have a chance to consider your options.

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-a-guide-to-successful-companionship.76162/

Sadly being related or not has little or no effect on whether a boar pair will continue to get on well once they enter their hormonal teenage phase (about 6 months is a common age for things to go wrong).

Pigs, like us, have personalities, likes and dislikes and not every piggy will get on with every other, related or not. It is best in these situations to let the piggy do the choosing by enlisting the help of a good rescue who can help your piggy find a friend he is really compatible with and provide ongoing support with the friendship if need be. The options for your two separated boys would be to both find a new boar friend via a rescue or potentially to have them neutered (which will not affect their behaviour or improve their bond with each other) and after waiting 6 weeks, introduce them to a lady pig each. Cross gender bondings are more stable generally. Neutering is not without risk and should always be done by an experienced vet whom has been recommended personally as competent for this surgery. The 6 week wait post neuter avoids any risk of little furry surprises as at even 5 weeks after the occasional surprise pregnancy can result.

Please don't just pop out and get another piggy for them as it takes time, patience and compatibility for a bond to work. You wouldn't go to a bar, pick up some random person and then move into their bedsit with them that night and expect the relationship to be wonderful and last forever so we shouldn't expect our piggies to do the same. For boar pairs an age difference can help so for your 6 month old, raucous teenage boys you could consider an older, more laid back boy who will keep them in order. A baby might be another option but they too would hit their teenage years whilst Edwin and Truffle are still settling down themselves. The older 'uncle pig' each might be the better option for them. Try our rescue locator at the top of the page for good quality, recommended rescues near you.

Hope some of that helps....

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Your boys are unfortunately all in the middle of their big hormones, which will last off and on until they have reached more settled adulthood at about 12-15 months old. 6 months and the phase between 8-10 months old are typically the worst ages for fights and permanent fall-outs.

A serious fight with bloody bites is upsetting for all piggies involved. Putting Truffle back with his brothers is not a good idea as that could easily destabilise that pairing and cause further fights/fall-outs. If I were you, I'd keep your two single boys next to the other pair for company but wait for a bit longer until you know how things are working out for your still intact boar pair. I would not put Truffle and Eddie back together. Please make sure that you disinfect the wounds and if necessary have them checked by a vet in order to prevent abscesses. Also check the rump.

Long term solutions for fallen out boars are boar dating at a good rescue for a suitable character compatible friend, neutering and pairing/dating with a sow (provided that you can get to an experienced vet with a good track record in piggy neutering and can also wait another 6 weeks post op until a boy is 100% safe to go wth sows) or living alongside other piggies for company.

 

[waley_bean]

I have since this post taken Truffle away from the two brothers (They are not related to Truffle) and put him in a cage on his own. I have put Edwin's cage next to the brothers Cottonball and Cottonpuff and he seems instantly happier as they can see each other. Oddly Truffle seems happier in a cage on his own for the moment.

 

[MerryPip]

I have since this post taken Truffle away from the two brothers (They are not related to Truffle) and put him in a cage on his own. I have put Edwin's cage next to the brothers Cottonball and Cottonpuff and he seems instantly happier as they can see each other. Oddly Truffle seems happier in a cage on his own for the moment.

Good stuff. Sometimes if things have been a little fraught for a while, they actually appreciate the peace and quiet of being safe and alone without worrying who's going to bite you next! It's great that they can see and hear the other boys, it's good company even though they are not in the same cage and the next best thing to having a friend in your own cage.

You might find they even lie near the bars of the other cage just to be close. It's common for separated pigs to appear to love each other very much when there's a set of bars in the way, lying next to the divider and each other and talking through the bars only to have all out warfare if the bars are removed! Very often a case of 'can't live with you, can't live without you...'