Fighting

[chigs]

Hi there,

I have four male guinea pigs, and recently they have started fighting. There has been some bloodshed and wounds. I have separated them with what I have, by putting two on their own and two together.

Any advice on what to do or how to move forward?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome and I'm sorry to hear this.

I am afraid though that this is par for the course when attempting a boar quartet - they tend to always fail. Boars find it incredibly difficult to form a functioning relationship when there is any more than two of them plus the space requirements are well beyond normal cage sizing requirements. Boars need to be kept in pairs only.

It sounds as if you have done what you can and certainly what we would advise. I am afraid now there has been a fight, then bonds are broken. As you have been able to keep a functioning pair, then keep those two together. Keep a close eye on them to ensure their bond remains intact and functioning (the result of a failed quartet is usually a pair and two singles but it has the potential to be four single piggies).
The other two, if they no longer like each other, will need to be kept in separate cages. This arrangement will need to be permanent.

Ensure the pair have a cage of 180x60cm. Ensure all hides have two exits and there is two of every item in the cage.
The two single piggies need a minimum of 120x60cm each and their cages will need to be side by side so they can still interact through the bars so not to become lonely.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

 

[weepweeps]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I’m so sorry your boys have fallen out. I had four boars together years ago after the pet shop said that boars loved to live in herds. Wrong. I ended up with four separate cages. Not ideal. But they were all happy living close to each other. I’m glad you have managed to salvage a pair.

 

[chigs]

Hi, thank you for your advice, I appreciate it so much!

It's just a shock, they've been getting on perfectly fine and then all of a sudden one day they're fighting and it looks horrific and I had no idea what to do.

They want to be together and trying to get to one another but once I put them in the cage area then the fighting starts.

My mum bought them for us not knowing this would ever happen, I would've thought that we would've been told about this outcome or even given some advice. Not sure what the best option to do is, not sure if we have enough room to separate them all and give them the space needed or not.

Thank you!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm so sorry that you're in this situation.
How old are they?
How long have you had them?
Were they rescue or pet shop piggies?

If they were purchased from a pet shop, then I am afraid that not being told at all or being given incorrect advice is very common. We see all too often people being told that three or four boars together will be ok - sadly its just not. The attempt it, the cage would need to cover at least four square metres/43 square feet. Of course, it depends what type of cage you have, but most commercial cages arent even big enough for two boars, let alone four. Space is only part of it though, character compatibility is the most important factor and as I said, boars cannot form a relationship with four of them.

Space wise -
If you have a c&c cage, then as long as the two single piggies cages are right next to each other, then you can stack c&c. The two singles at the bottom, side by side, and the pair on top.
It would require the bottom level to be a 6x2 as a minimum (so they have 3x2 each), but 8x2 would be best (so they have 4x2 each), and then a cage on top for the pair. In terms of c&c, the cage size needed for two boars is a 5x2.

 

[chigs]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I’m so sorry your boys have fallen out. I had four boars together years ago after the pet shop said that boars loved to live in herds. Wrong. I ended up with four separate cages. Not ideal. But they were all happy living close to each other. I’m glad you have managed to salvage a pair.

Thank you! Yeah pet shop said the same to us. Gutted. I'm not sure about the pair thing, I think I might trial and error pairs to see who's best suited for one another to see if I can put them in pairs. Haven't tried it yet because I was worried and just separated them, and I only had room for three so two had to go together but they seem to be getting along better than any of the others.

Did yours live separated permanently after the fighting?

 

[chigs]

Welcome and I'm sorry to hear this.

I am afraid though that this is par for the course when attempting a boar quartet - they tend to always fail. Boars find it incredibly difficult to form a functioning relationship when there is any more than two of them plus the space requirements are well beyond normal cage sizing requirements. Boars need to be kept in pairs only.

It sounds as if you have done what you can and certainly what we would advise. I am afraid now there has been a fight, then bonds are broken. As you have been able to keep a functioning pair, then keep those two together. Keep a close eye on them to ensure their bond remains intact and functioning (the result of a failed quartet is usually a pair and two singles but it has the potential to be four single piggies).
The other two, if they no longer like each other, will need to be kept in separate cages. This arrangement will need to be permanent.

Ensure the pair have a cage of 180x60cm. Ensure all hides have two exits and there is two of every item in the cage.
The two single piggies need a minimum of 120x60cm each and their cages will need to be side by side so they can still interact through the bars so not to become lonely.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

Hi, thank you for your advice, I appreciate it so much!

It's just a shock, they've been getting on perfectly fine and then all of a sudden one day they're fighting and it looks horrific and I had no idea what to do.

They want to be together and trying to get to one another but once I put them in the cage area then the fighting starts.

My mum bought them for us not knowing this would ever happen, I would've thought that we would've been told about this outcome or even given some advice. Not sure what the best option to do is, not sure if we have enough room to separate them all and give them the space needed or not.

Thank you!

 

[chigs]

I'm so sorry that you're in this situation.
How old are they?
How long have you had them?
Were they rescue or pet shop piggies?

If they were purchased from a pet shop, then I am afraid that not being told at all or being given incorrect advice is very common. We see all too often people being told that three or four boars together will be ok - sadly its just not. The attempt it, the cage would need to cover at least four square metres/43 square feet. Of course, it depends what type of cage you have, but most commercial cages arent even big enough for two boars, let alone four. Space is only part of it though, character compatibility is the most important factor and as I said, boars cannot form a relationship with four of them.

Space wise -
If you have a c&c cage, then as long as the two single piggies cages are right next to each other, then you can stack c&c. The two singles at the bottom, side by side, and the pair on top.
It would require the bottom level to be a 6x2 as a minimum (so they have 3x2 each), but 8x2 would be best (so they have 4x2 each), and then a cage on top for the pair. In terms of c&c, the cage size needed for two boars is a 5x2.

Hi there, thank you!

They're about 6 months old now, and I've had them since 10 weeks (that's what we has told their age was anyways). And they was pet shop guinea pigs.

Yeah I have made my own cage which makes 7x3 with the room I have. Thank you so much for your advice! Will have a little think on what to do and how I can work around this.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Gosh, I'm sorry you've been another victim of poor pet shop advice.
Often they are ok until around 4-6 months of age and then that is when they will fail. 6 months is the point of highest hormone output and the time which is make or break for bonds.

Sadly a 7x3 still wouldnt be big enough for a quartet, it comes to about 25 square feet, so only half the space they would need.

If you know which piggies have physically fought with each other, then please dont try to put them together again as it will result in more fights.
If you do have two which are fine together, then dont try to split them and try them with either of the others - it could cause the two which are currently together to fall out and then you would end up with four singles.

If the two who are single have not physically fought with each other (ie, they fought with the two which are currently together), then you may be able to get them pair, so you could end up with two separate pairs. If you were to try to reintroduce the two singles to each other, then ensure it is done on neutral territory and that you are prepared with oven gloves to step in in case a fight does occur. As I said, you need to be sure though, because if the two singles were the ones who fought with each other, then do not try to reintroduce.

 

[chigs]

Gosh, I'm sorry you've been another victim of poor pet shop advice.
Often they are ok until around 4-6 months of age and then that is when they will fail. 6 months is the point of highest hormone output and the time which is make or break for bonds.

Sadly a 7x3 still wouldnt be big enough for a quartet, it comes to about 25 square feet, so only half the space they would need.

If you know which piggies have physically fought with each other, then please dont try to put them together again as it will result in more fights.
If you do have two which are fine together, then dont try to split them and try them with either of the others - it could cause the two which are currently together to fall out and then you would end up with four singles.

If the two who are single have not physically fought with each other (ie, they fought with the two which are currently together), then you may be able to get them pair, so you could end up with two separate pairs. If you were to try to reintroduce the two singles to each other, then ensure it is done on neutral territory and that you are prepared with oven gloves to step in in case a fight does occur. As I said, you need to be sure though, because if the two singles were the ones who fought with each other, then do not try to reintroduce.

Wow thank you so much!
Just wish I had some idea this was going to happen.

 

[weepweeps]

Thank you! Yeah pet shop said the same to us. Gutted. I'm not sure about the pair thing, I think I might trial and error pairs to see who's best suited for one another to see if I can put them in pairs. Haven't tried it yet because I was worried and just separated them, and I only had room for three so two had to go together but they seem to be getting along better than any of the others.

Did yours live separated permanently after the fighting?

Yes. They all lived separately for the rest of their lives.