Help! Litter brothers having a tough time.

[MissyElliott]

Hi all, I've been scouring the internet for guidance so I'm hoping you can help me.

We rescued my two boys, Wallace and Gromit three years ago when they were 18 months old. Wallace has always been the dominant one, super cheeky, outgoing and noisy and with some work, we've got Gromit to be more relaxed and outgoing and he always seemed to be fine with the relationship set up between them. They're litter brothers so usually they're thick as thieves squeaking for food at the same time every day and bashing the bars on their indoor cage to get attention. In short, they're brilliant and I adore them.

So on to where I need some advice. They're always a bit more boisterous around this time of year, more mounting and posturing and it's usually very mild, the usual boy stuff but yesterday it went further than the norm. Wallace kept mounting Gromit and they had a proper chase around their home a couple of times. We checked on them both times, gave them a little time out and popped some hay in to distract but it got to a third time of them being after each other and Wallace ended up with a little hair pull and scratch (no blood) on his nose.

We're lucky to have enough space to have two indoor hutches for them so we've separated them but I'm not sure if I'm doing the wrong thing by breaking their bond, or if it's already broken. Wallace has ended up with a scratched nose before but they were fine the same night and that was over a year ago.

Please someone help me know what to do? My plan has been to let them have a night or two apart (but still able to see and squeak to each other), then perhaps a bath (same shampoo) and then reintroduce in a monitored and neutral setting with some hay and treats just to see how it goes.

I'm so upset that these two who have been together for three years have had to be apart. I welcome your advice. Thank you.

EDIT - forgot to add, I have paid close attention to both of their behaviours today. Wallace is just being a rowdy little so being his usual self and Gromit is quite withdrawn and quiet which is quite the opposite of how he normally is although he's always been quite a skittish and quieter piggy

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all, I've been scouring the internet for guidance so I'm hoping you can help me.

We rescued my two boys, Wallace and Gromit three years ago when they were 18 months old. Wallace has always been the dominant one, super cheeky, outgoing and noisy and with some work, we've got Gromit to be more relaxed and outgoing and he always seemed to be fine with the relationship set up between them. They're litter brothers so usually they're thick as thieves squeaking for food at the same time every day and bashing the bars on their indoor cage to get attention. In short, they're brilliant and I adore them.

So on to where I need some advice. They're always a bit more boisterous around this time of year, more mounting and posturing and it's usually very mild, the usual boy stuff but yesterday it went further than the norm. Wallace kept mounting Gromit and they had a proper chase around their home a couple of times. We checked on them both times, gave them a little time out and popped some hay in to distract but it got to a third time of them being after each other and Wallace ended up with a little hair pull and scratch (no blood) on his nose.

We're lucky to have enough space to have two indoor hutches for them so we've separated them but I'm not sure if I'm doing the wrong thing by breaking their bond, or if it's already broken. Wallace has ended up with a scratched nose before but they were fine the same night and that was over a year ago.

Please someone help me know what to do? My plan has been to let them have a night or two apart (but still able to see and squeak to each other), then perhaps a bath (same shampoo) and then reintroduce in a monitored and neutral setting with some hay and treats just to see how it goes.

I'm so upset that these two who have been together for three years have had to be apart. I welcome your advice. Thank you.

EDIT - forgot to add, I have paid close attention to both of their behaviours today. Wallace is just being a rowdy little so being his usual self and Gromit is quite withdrawn and quiet which is quite the opposite of how he normally is although he's always been quite a skittish and quieter piggy

Hi and welcome

You are doing exactly the right thing. Even adult boars can suddenly suffer from a hormone spike, which can lead to an altercation. Thankfully in most cases they will just go back together as if nothing untoward has happened after a couple of days cooling down separation with a divider; especially as the fight has not been a serious one with full-on bites, which is the end of the road.
Please reintroduce on neutral ground outside the cage.
You may find the advice in this link here helpful: Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

PS: Unfortunately it is a long debunked breeder myth that brothers won't fall out (we've certainly seen our fair share on here over the years!) What counts in any boar bond is character compatibility and mutual liking. Not that this makes any difference to your boys.

 

[MissyElliott]

Hi and welcome

You are doing exactly the right thing. Even adult boars can suddenly suffer from a hormone spike, which can lead to an altercation. Thankfully in most cases they will just go back together as if nothing untoward has happened after a couple of days cooling down separation with a divider; especially as the fight has not been a serious one with full-on bites, which is the end of the road.
Please reintroduce on neutral ground outside the cage.
You may find the advice in this link here helpful: Bonds In Trouble
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

PS: Unfortunately it is a long debunked breeder myth that brothers won't fall out (we've certainly seen our fair share on here over the years!) What counts in any boar bond is character compatibility and mutual liking. Not that this makes any difference to your boys.

Thank you so much for your quick reply and for the links. I'm hoping it's just, as you say, a hormone spike. I can hear Wallace downstairs now banging his things about and squeaking for his brother so I'll give it one more day then do the neutral ground reintroduction! I'll post again and hopefully it'll be positive x

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for your quick reply and for the links. I'm hoping it's just, as you say, a hormone spike. I can hear Wallace downstairs now banging his things about and squeaking for his brother so I'll give it one more day then do the neutral ground reintroduction! I'll post again and hopefully it'll be positive x

All the best!

 

[rhymer]

Fingers crossed for Wallace and Gromit.x