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Girls Reunited...boys Fall Out!

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wendyhouse

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Hi an update on Zoe and Lola, our separated sisters, and Zoe's male triplets.

Zoe and Lola were still in separate cages and squabbling when put together. I ordered some new cage liners from Ziggy's Piggies and today we put them in Zoe's cage, gave the girls a bonding bath and fingers crossed....it looks like they are reunited. I'm still holding my breath on this. Out of all the cosy bedding they now have, Zoe has claimed the hay sack as her bed, talk about thinking outside the box!

Feeling good about ourselves we changed the boys and put in their new bedding. The boys are now 8 weeks and have been getting along fine. Then all hell broke loose in their updated cage. Bumble, who has always been slightly dominant, changed into an aggressive humping machine. He was mounting his brothers and chasing them. We let them have a run around to see if this would calm them down but he just tormented his brothers non stop. He is now in Lola's old cage in solitary and not very happy about it. We know how long it took to get the girls (hopefully) back does anyone have any suggestions? They would be appreciated.

Thanks

Wendy
 

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What you are witnessing is the normal dominance behaviour in new surroundings and/or groupings.

How long have you left the boys together after Bumble went into dominance overdrive? You can re-introduce them on neutral ground, as there have been no bites, but you have to brace yourself for several days more of the same. Alternatively, you could think about finding a permanent solution for Bumble as your three boys are unlikely to make to a year old together as a trio.

https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/faq-introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sow-behaviour.38561/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
 
Hi Wiebke thanks for the response. The boys have been together since birth. We took them out of the cage, put a fleece liner and fresh food in, returned them and immediately it was chaos. Bumble was mounting and chasing both his brothers.

When you say permanent solution do you mean neutering or complete separation?

We have discussed neutering, we have been recommended to a local vet who does this.

I don't want Bumble to be lonely. The other option is rehoming, but I would want him to go to a loving home with someone who knows guinea pigs.

Thanks

Wendy
 
Hi Wiebke thanks for the response. The boys have been together since birth. We took them out of the cage, put a fleece liner and fresh food in, returned them and immediately it was chaos. Bumble was mounting and chasing both his brothers.

When you say permanent solution do you mean neutering or complete separation?

We have discussed neutering, we have been recommended to a local vet who does this.

I don't want Bumble to be lonely. The other option is rehoming, but I would want him to go to a loving home with someone who knows guinea pigs.

Thanks

Wendy

If you can stand sitting through some roughish dominance behaviour in the next few days and weeks, then Bumble could live with his brothers until a serious blow-up - by which time he would be old enough to be neutered. He will still need a 6 weeks' post op wait until he is 100% safe to go with any sows, but you might be able to fence off part of the sow cage for that or if things get close to a serious fight? ;)

Hopefully, in a few more months, everypig has settled down in their final group.
 
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