Difficulty bonding

Piggy foster mum

Piggy foster mum

Junior Guinea Pig
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Yesterday we adopted Harry a young neutered boar to live with Annie a slightly older sow. They seemed to get on well and lots of gentle grooming was taking place but then there was a bit of teeth chattering from both last night on the second introduction session. They slept in separate cages but next to each other. Today I put them back in the indoor run and they didn’t even notice each other for a while then Annie went to see Harry and he ignored her. A bit later a scuffle erupted and Harry bit Annie’s ear and drew blood. They are now in the indoor run with a division panel so can see each other. I’m not sure whether to try to put them back together or is this bonding not going to work out.Yesterday we adopted Harry a young neutered boar to live with Annie a slightly older sow. They seemed to get on well and lots of gentle grooming was taking place but then there was a bit of teeth chattering from both last night on the second introduction session. They slept in separate cages but next to each other. Today I put them back in the indoor run and they didn’t even notice each other for a while then Annie went to see Harry and he ignored her. A bit later a scuffle erupted and Harry bit Annie’s ear and drew blood. They are now in the indoor run with a division panel so can see each other. I’m not sure whether to try to put them back together or is this bonding not going to work out.
 
The first thing that struck me is you say ‘second introduction’ session.
When you get a new piggy it is best to leave them in adjoining cages for a few days so they can see and smell each other. Then on the day you do the bonding you need to set up a totally neutral area, and put them both in it for several hours (all day if needs be) while you clean the cage they are going to live in thoroughly (to ensure no scent is there) and rearrange it. Then when you are happy things are going well, you put them both in the cleaned cage together and leave them to it. They shouldn’t be separated after the first time they meet, if all is going well, as they then have to restart the bonding all over again.
For a bonding to be successful piggies need to be character compatible. A sow/boar pairing should be the most stable of all bonds, but they still need to be compatible and want to be together. You could decide to give them a few days separate but next to each other and try again but the fact that blood has been drawn is concerning though and suggests that the bond isn’t going to work.

The information below should help you decide what to do next.

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
 
They had a bonding session together at the rescue centre and seemed to get on well. I then had them in a pen with a divider and did supervised sessions without the divider. They got on ok to start with but it seemed to get worse, the o get they were together. They were in separate cages last night but next to each other. Then today we tried again, first in the same pen with the divider and then removed and supervised. I’m wondering if the new piggy is not settled here yet.
 
Ok. they ideally shouldn’t have been separated after their bonding at the centre. That said, whenever you do a bonding even if it looks successful to begin with, it doesn’t mean things that will stay that way. The actual process takes a couple of weeks and during that time there is always the chance that they decide they can’t get on after all.
I’d Leave them separate for now, giving him some time to settle in and then perhaps try again.
Was is a full on fight and a direct bite? That would be more of a sign that it isn’t going to work, but if it wasn’t actually a fight, there may be hope after a few days apart and settling
 
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I think I need to let Harry get used to his new environment and then try again. They both sat on my lap last night perfectly ok and were grooming each other. Also the neutral area is not 100% neutral, it was Annie’s indoor run but I did wash everything before they went in together. I guess it still smells of her a bit and she doesn’t want to share.
It wasn’t a full on fight as far as I know but I didn’t actually see it. I was about to go out so just opened the door to grab the partition and when I came back in there was sawdust everywhere and a bleeding ear. There had been nothing going on before I stepped out. They are both such lovely guinea pigs I cant imagine either of them aggressive. I will keep trying.
 
So they are getting on much better, Annie definitely loves Harry and wants to be the boss. She pop corned and did zoomies for the first time yesterday and desperately wanted Harry to join in but he just stood in the food bowl and looked at her. She grooms him but he is not doing anything back, he just sits there. She steels his veggies and he just lets her take them even though they have a pile each. He seems to be a very slow eater. He spends a lot of time chewing the log roll, I’ve checked his teeth and they seem fine.
 
Maybe hand feed them so that she doesn’t steal his food.
 
Piggy foster mum said:
So they are getting on much better, Annie definitely loves Harry and wants to be the boss. She pop corned and did zoomies for the first time yesterday and desperately wanted Harry to join in but he just stood in the food bowl and looked at her. She grooms him but he is not doing anything back, he just sits there. She steels his veggies and he just lets her take them even though they have a pile each. He seems to be a very slow eater. He spends a lot of time chewing the log roll, I’ve checked his teeth and they seem fine.
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Slow eating can because sign of jaw pain. I would get your vet to check him just in case.
Glad that they are getting on well
 
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