Help! Piggies bond broken?

JEFF&JOJO

JEFF&JOJO

Junior Guinea Pig
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My 2 piggies have been together since October. Both boys. They have always had a love/hate relationship but have got along fine.cookie is the dominant pig and Jeffie is very submissive. However lately Cookie has been torturing Jeffie, chasing him, teeth chattering etc. Just today they were in the garden and I noticed cookie was chasing Jeffie and cornering him and I had to go over and separate them and I noticed chunks of Jeffies hair everywhere! No obvious injuries but Jeff is long haired so hard to tell. Right now I have them separated them but don’t know what to do next... They have massive cage, 2 of everything etc but it seems lately Cookie has just become a lot more aggressive towards him.

The problem is we are going on holiday next week and they are supposed to be staying in a cage together at the boarding place ☹️ I’m worried sick now ☹️

Should I take Cookie to the vet in case he isn’t well and that’s what’s causing the aggression?

Any advice would be wonderful thanks x
 
JEFF&JOJO said:
My 2 piggies have been together since October. Both boys. They have always had a love/hate relationship but have got along fine.cookie is the dominant pig and Jeffie is very submissive. However lately Cookie has been torturing Jeffie, chasing him, teeth chattering etc. Just today they were in the garden and I noticed cookie was chasing Jeffie and cornering him and I had to go over and separate them and I noticed chunks of Jeffies hair everywhere! No obvious injuries but Jeff is long haired so hard to tell. Right now I have them separated them but don’t know what to do next... They have massive cage, 2 of everything etc but it seems lately Cookie has just become a lot more aggressive towards him.

The problem is we are going on holiday next week and they are supposed to be staying in a cage together at the boarding place ☹ I’m worried sick now ☹

Should I take Cookie to the vet in case he isn’t well and that’s what’s causing the aggression?

Any advice would be wonderful thanks x
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Hi and welcome!

How old are your boys? The teenage months last from ca. 4-14 months but hormone spikes can flare up into early adulthood.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Please have both boys carefully vet checked for bite wounds and ask your boarder whether they have extra space with interaction through the bars or can divide the cage. These things usually happen at the worst possible moment in my experience. :(
 
Wiebke said:
Hi and welcome!

How old are your boys? The teenage months last from ca. 4-14 months but hormone spikes can flare up into early adulthood.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Please have both boys carefully vet checked for bite wounds and ask your boarder whether they have extra space with interaction through the bars or can divide the cage. These things usually happen at the worst possible moment in my experience. :(
Click to expand...

Thanks! They are both nearly 2! Unfortunately our boarder uses the Eglu cages and they are all full! I have put them back into their indoor cage and separated them as we have 2 Midwest cages joined. They seem fine and Jeffie is frantically trying to chew through the bars to get to Cookie ☹️ They were popcorn IG earlier when I put them back beside each other! Yes will book vets and after that I don’t know...
 
JEFF&JOJO said:
My 2 piggies have been together since October. Both boys. They have always had a love/hate relationship but have got along fine.cookie is the dominant pig and Jeffie is very submissive. However lately Cookie has been torturing Jeffie, chasing him, teeth chattering etc. Just today they were in the garden and I noticed cookie was chasing Jeffie and cornering him and I had to go over and separate them and I noticed chunks of Jeffies hair everywhere! No obvious injuries but Jeff is long haired so hard to tell. Right now I have them separated them but don’t know what to do next... They have massive cage, 2 of everything etc but it seems lately Cookie has just become a lot more aggressive towards him.

The problem is we are going on holiday next week and they are supposed to be staying in a cage together at the boarding place ☹ I’m worried sick now ☹

Should I take Cookie to the vet in case he isn’t well and that’s what’s causing the aggression?

Any advice would be wonderful thanks x
Click to expand...

Can you google for pet services that will come to feed your piggies in your absence as an alternative to boarding?
Travel & Holiday Guides
 
Awww hopefully you can get someone to come to your house.... fingers crossed x
 
Thanks everyone. Luckily the girl who was looking after them has offered to come to the house which is a big relief and she is a guinea pig expert so understands. I tried the boys there on neutral territory and they were okay for a minute and then Cookie just lunged at jeffie for no apparent reason so I think the bond is truly broken ☹️ They are in a side by side cage and Cookie seems happy whereas Jeffie seems very upset/frantic that he can’t be in with Cookie. Constant biting at the bars etc. I feel awful as Jeffie is such a friendly sociable little pig ☹️☹️☹️
 
Aw, naughty boys! I’d keep them separated while you are away. Jeffie will calm down and get used to the situation very quickly. In the long term perhaps you think of boar dating or neutering and a lady friend for each, but there is no reason why they can’t live happily alongside each other on a permanent basis.
Try not to worry too much for now and go and enjoy your holiday x
 
Bill & Ted said:
Aw, naughty boys! I’d keep them separated while you are away. Jeffie will calm down and get used to the situation very quickly. In the long term perhaps you think of boar dating or neutering and a lady friend for each, but there is no reason why they can’t live happily alongside each other on a permanent basis.
Try not to worry too much for now and go and enjoy your holiday x
Click to expand...
Thanks so much! Yes they are separated and seem happy enough, I put all their food next to each other so they can eat side by side etc through the bars and they seem to be eating and sleeping as normal in their usual routine thank goodness. The girl looking after them came to visit yesterday and seems great and is very knowledgeable about guinea pigs so I feel better about the holiday now.
 
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