@brothers' fighting, serious

[trikrik]

Recent owner of 2 guinea pigs bought for our kids.
Sold by pet shop as brothers.
One was slightly dominant, now they are both fighting. Really bad too. Bite marks, angry fights, banging about the hutch.

We have separated them, but dont want this as a permanent solution if it can be avoided.

Any advice?

Followed various advice on the forums, split them apart, cleaned hutch numerous times, yet they still fight.
Is this common?
Is there a way to stop it?
We only hve 1 hutch (2 floor) so have split them that way, but this reduces their run size.
The fights have been really bad, to the point its possible one would kill the other one.

Any advice appreciated

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry this has happened.

Unfortunately such fights mean they are not compatible in character, and I’m sorry to say their separation must be permanent.
Unfortunately pet shop piggies are just put together for sale and there is always a risk of incompatibility issues coming to light. Being brothers doesn’t mean they will be compatible.
There is sadly nothing you can do. Once they decide they don’t like each other and a fight occurs, the bond is broken - they won’t change their minds about each other.

As you only have a double storey hutch, their separation with one living upstairs and one downstairs means they have lost all communication with each other. Separated piggies need to live side by side so they can still fully interact between the bars which will prevent loneliness. Hutches unfortunately don’t lend themselves to living as separates piggies due to this inability for side by side living.

I assume they’re outside?
If it is an indoor hutch we may be able to suggest solutions for side by side living.
If outdoors it is much harder unfortunately.

As a double storey hutch does not double floor space, it now being split into two separate hutches does not technically reduce their run space (The upper level of a two storey hutch attached by a ramp does not count towards the living space. Therefore now the hutch is split, it still is only the same size as it ever was (just now it’s two levels) - provided the hutch is the right size in the first place. As a boar pair (living together) require a 6ft hutch, hopefully that is what you have so each level will still provide them with enough space (the minimum for a single piggy is 4ft x 2 ft) interaction loss aside.

You will need some time to process options going forward and to how best to give them the interaction they need - either with each other but only as living as neighbours; or through having a new friend each (if this is a possibility, then a pair living upstairs and a pair downstairs is fine - but boar pairs do need a lot of room, a 6ft hutch is necessary for two male piggies).

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[Cheekypigs]

We're in the same boat, you can read our sad story here: The Adventures of Popchop and Fuzzable

One of our lads nearly lost an ear and the vet said it could easily have been an eye. So they are separate.

Our last-ditch effort is to neuter them both in case a slight reduction in hormones might help. Unfortunately this is not usually successful with guinea pigs, but we feel it's worth it because the next step, if they can't live together, is to re-home one and get a girlfriend for the other. Male-female pairs are thought to be the most stable long-term and neutering gives them both their best chance for a companion.

The idea of giving one of them up is heartbreaking, but it would be better for them than living separated, especially because we can't offer them enough space in a separated cage. They're ok for now but it's not roomy enough for the long term.