Does Neutering Help Behaviour ?!

[twiams]

Hello!

I have to boy piggies, Bentley And Chester

Someone recently told me that if you get your male guinea pig's neutered it can help with there behaviour, stop them fighting etc.
Is this true ?

My boy's don't fight too much they occasionally have a bit of a nose of or squabble when put close together and don't have enough space, but only on the odd day, i wouldn't want to separate them as even when just taking Bentley out of the cage Chester starts to make alot of racket until he knows where Bentley is although Bentley doesn't react the same to when chester is taken out.

But that aside would neutering help, i have only male piggies and would only get a female if one passed away just as a companion so other than behaviour i would have no other reason to neuter.

ALSO

every time i go into a pet shop other than the one i bought them from, the shop keepers tell me horror stories about keeping to boys together ?!
I don't know if what I'm doing is write i've had them just over a month now and as far as I'm aware they've always lived together is that okay ? is there anything i should keep an eye on or look for ?
when put in new surroundings or when scared they take alot of comfort from just being together so i wouldn't wanna take that away from them.

any advice would be great
-Thanks.

 

[piggyfan]

Please ignore that advice. What an ignorant thing for the pet shop to say. Guinea pigs should not be kept alone as they get very lonely. Your boys sound like they have bonded. I am not sure if neutering effects behaviour. It is a huge operation so I would not take the decision lightly.

 

[kat04kt]

Your boys are soooooo cute! x)

I have two boys. Like yours they've bonded. As far as I know neutering doesn't alter behaviour. But I'm not 100% sure.

Basically, I've come to the conclusion that piggies aren't too dissimilar to us humans when it comes to relationships!

So if you had to live with someone in a flat - forever - then you'd want to live with someone you get on with.

You might get on great to start but then have a big spat one day and fall out and decide you need to move out. Or you might have a big spat and just need some time to cool off, you'd realise that you missed each other, then you'd make up and it would be ok. Or you might just get along great.

If you grew up with someone, or it was your sister/brother - then you'd probably tolerate them better because their family and you have to love family! lol.

If you're old and you have a youngster around you'd probably feel pretty protective, and it's not common for a 40 year old to start picking a fight with a five year old.

From what I can tell, male or female guinea pig couples aren't too dissimilar to humans with their relationships with each other.

A cage that is big enough for two, with two hideaways so they can get space - I like to think of it as retreating off to their bedrooms! Means that if they're getting a fed up with each other they can get some time out.

It might be that they fall out at some point and never want to be friends again - but like any relationship you have to cross that bridge if and when it got to it - otherwise humans and piggies alike would all be living on their own.

It's something to be aware of, but don't worry about it unless fighting actually becomes an issue. To help prevent fighting, give them two of everything, and lots of space.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! You have a lovely pair of boars here!

Pet shops are not exactly the best place to get advice from; in fact they are the source of a fair amount of the problems we are dealing with on here...

To answer your questions:
a) Unlike with rabbits, neutering does NOT change boar behaviour; it just removes the ability to make make babies.
http://www.susieandpigs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/optionsmenu.htm
http://www.guinealynx.info/companionship.html

b) Boars of any age can live together or be rebonded. However, a stable bond relies on mutual liking and character compatibility and it takes time, experience and care to create them - none of which places that sell piggies can provide! They don't care whether the boars they sell together will actually get on. After too many fallen out boars brought back, they now tell people that boars can't live with each other. mallethead It doesn't help that they also sell far too small cages, which helps in provoking fights - boars need PLENTY of space, if anything! The best place to get guaranteed healthy, well bonded, not pregnant and handled piggies is a reputable rescue. Quite a few will also help with bonding a bereaved or single piggy.

Have a look at Suzygpr's boar bonding thread and you will see why those places that are only interested in the money and not in the welfare of the pets they are selling fall terribly short and needlessly condemn so many unfortunate boars to a joyless, solitary life: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59233