Help please

[Linzig33]

My 1 year old boar has completely changed in the last few days to what I can describe as quite erratic. He chatters his teeth very loudly when I come to the cage, something he’s never ever done. My concern is more with my other boar who has always been less dominant. Iv witnessed him snap at back when it’s been too much but this morning I’m really worried they are going to fights. My dominant boar has been rumble strutting like crazy and teeth chattering at his companion. I noticed him mount him several times and I’m worried they will fight. I have to go to work now but have split there cage like the picture (excuse the mess they’re due to be cleaned today haha). I hope I haven’t been to quick to jump but would never forgive myself if they got hurt. The dominant boar is still quite upset and trying to dig and bite at the cage bars. This may be completely normal behaviour for his age but it’s a bit scary. Any advice would be great please

 

[Hetja]

If you separate them now the chance that they will fight increases enormously. Never separate bonded piggies unless they fight so hard that one is bleeding. Every separation can destroy their bond completely.

 

[Linzig33]

If you separate them now the chance that they will fight increases enormously. Never separate bonded piggies unless they fight so hard that one is bleeding. Every separation can destroy their bond completely.

Is it seperation even if they can still see and smell each other? I’m worried more now as I’m in work and can’t do anything until 3pm when I’m home. I thought this would be best as I could see the other one was getting distressed as he wouldn’t leave him alone to even eat. He may well be able to break through the barrier as he was making a good go at this before I left. What should I do when I get home? Leave them be and hope they don’t fight? I’m hoping a couple of hours separation (which it does say you can do in the dominance guidance) might help?

 

[G&C]

Should be ok for a few hours and they can still interact through the bars, I think the advice on here is brilliant. You might have to introduce them again on neutral territory, this might take a while!
Just trying to think what’s changed? Have you got a new enclosure? And how big is it? It might not be big enough for them. Is there two of everything? How old is the younger boar? -they may be going through the dominance phase again/re-organising the hierarchy.
My two boars (10 months and 19 months) have been on and off with each other roughly every 6-8 weeks through the summer, while the little one sorts himself out. One other thing, did you get them out last night? Then which one did you put back first? I only ask because the last argument mine had was started when I put under-piggy back first, he then proceeded to teeth chatter and they chased and mounted each other for hours. -I’m convinced that’s what set it all off.

 

[Linzig33]

Should be ok for a few hours and they can still interact through the bars, I think the advice on here is brilliant. You might have to introduce them again on neutral territory, this might take a while!
Just trying to think what’s changed? Have you got a new enclosure? And how big is it? It might not be big enough for them. Is there two of everything? How old is the younger boar? -they may be going through the dominance phase again/re-organising the hierarchy.
My two boars (10 months and 19 months) have been on and off with each other roughly every 6-8 weeks through the summer, while the little one sorts himself out. One other thing, did you get them out last night? Then which one did you put back first? I only ask because the last argument mine had was started when I put under-piggy back first, he then proceeded to teeth chatter and they chased and mounted each other for hours. -I’m convinced that’s what set it all off.

Yeah the advice is always great, Iv learned so much reading on here and listening to replies. Iv had both of them for a year and one week (to be exact haha). They were together in the encloser when I bought them and really ring so guessing only about 5-6 weeks old. Gus (the less dominant one) has ragged ears from being nibbled at and my vet and I have guessed this is why he’s a lot more timid. Pablo (the dominant one) is now much bigger than Gus and has rumble strutted/mounted Gus for a while now. I had to cut a big bit of boar glue from Gus chin one time. Therefore the norm is that’s Pablo is dominant and Gus just accepts it. But today he seemed much more aggressive with it, mounting him constantly, chattering his teeth very loudly and not letting Gus get to the hay I just put in. They are in a 2 grid x 6 grid C&C cage which I can extend if necessary. As soon as I’m home I open a grid out and they have the run of my whole spare room. They have free time until I go to bed and I’ll often sit with them, feeding them treats and cuddling them. I have no other pets, no change to their routine or anything else I can think of. I’ll make more effort to always take out Pablo and return Pablo first if this is an issue. I really can’t think of anything else so my concern is Iv ruined there bond by splitting them so quick or even an underlying medical issue? I’m waiting on a call back from the vet too just incase she wants to have a look at them (she’s guinea savvy and recommended on here). If Iv missed something please let me know. Really worried that Pablo will be pent up and aggressive if he’s been separated and will take this out on Gus .

 

[G&C]

Yeah the advice is always great, Iv learned so much reading on here and listening to replies. Iv had both of them for a year and one week (to be exact haha). They were together in the encloser when I bought them and really ring so guessing only about 5-6 weeks old. Gus (the less dominant one) has ragged ears from being nibbled at and my vet and I have guessed this is why he’s a lot more timid. Pablo (the dominant one) is now much bigger than Gus and has rumble strutted/mounted Gus for a while now. I had to cut a big bit of boar glue from Gus chin one time. Therefore the norm is that’s Pablo is dominant and Gus just accepts it. But today he seemed much more aggressive with it, mounting him constantly, chattering his teeth very loudly and not letting Gus get to the hay I just put in. They are in a 2 grid x 6 grid C&C cage which I can extend if necessary. As soon as I’m home I open a grid out and they have the run of my whole spare room. They have free time until I go to bed and I’ll often sit with them, feeding them treats and cuddling them. I have no other pets, no change to their routine or anything else I can think of. I’ll make more effort to always take out Pablo and return Pablo first if this is an issue. I really can’t think of anything else so my concern is Iv ruined there bond by splitting them so quick or even an underlying medical issue? I’m waiting on a call back from the vet too just incase she wants to have a look at them (she’s guinea savvy and recommended on here). If Iv missed something please let me know. Really worried that Pablo will be pent up and aggressive if he’s been separated and will take this out on Gus .

The bottom line is not to separate unless there is blood drawn, they seem to be all normal hormonal boar behaviours and should settle down in a few days (max). They need time to use up their spikes in hormones and get it out of their system. Sounds like you have a fantastic setup, see what your vet says as I can’t comment on medical, but would be interested to hear if your vet thinks it is anything medical and what it could be... and let us know what things are like later on. Good luck.

 

[Linzig33]

The bottom line is not to separate unless there is blood drawn, they seem to be all normal hormonal boar behaviours and should settle down in a few days (max). They need time to use up their spikes in hormones and get it out of their system. Sounds like you have a fantastic setup, see what your vet says as I can’t comment on medical, but would be interested to hear if your vet thinks it is anything medical and what it could be... and let us know what things are like later on. Good luck.

I definitely would have left them if I was going to be at home. I was just so scared by Pablo going for him that I was going to come home to something horrible happening. Thank you for all your advice, it’s probably hormones but Iv panicked as Iv never saw him like this, just hope he’s settled when I get home and I can take them both to neutral territory to see how things go. Will keep you all posted

 

[Piggies&buns]

Boars either need to be permanently together or permanently apart (Ie a complete relationship breakdown, blood drawn etc and then they will never live together again) - separating and reintroducing isn’t good for them - so make sure you leave them to re-establish their relationship and hierarchy and only separate if they completely break down. You will the chasing and mounting all over again when they go back together.

 

[Linzig33]

Boars either need to be permanently together or permanently apart (Ie a complete relationship breakdown, blood drawn etc and then they will never live together again) - separating and reintroducing isn’t good for them - so make sure you leave them to re-establish their relationship and hierarchy and only separate if they completely break down. You will the chasing and mounting all over again when they go back together.

Thank you, that’s definitely my concern as id hate to see them separated when they have got on so well previously. I’m hoping that being separated for a couple of hours won’t affect them too much. My guess is Pablo will have broke the barrier down anyway as he was pretty adamant this morning as I was leaving. In which case I also hope he doesn’t really hurt Gus. I know now to leave them when this behaviour is going on and only seperate if they actually fight.

 

[Wiebke]

My 1 year old boar has completely changed in the last few days to what I can describe as quite erratic. He chatters his teeth very loudly when I come to the cage, something he’s never ever done. My concern is more with my other boar who has always been less dominant. Iv witnessed him snap at back when it’s been too much but this morning I’m really worried they are going to fights. My dominant boar has been rumble strutting like crazy and teeth chattering at his companion. I noticed him mount him several times and I’m worried they will fight. I have to go to work now but have split there cage like the picture (excuse the mess they’re due to be cleaned today haha). I hope I haven’t been to quick to jump but would never forgive myself if they got hurt. The dominant boar is still quite upset and trying to dig and bite at the cage bars. This may be completely normal behaviour for his age but it’s a bit scary. Any advice would be great please

Hi! Your boy is suffering a hormone spike. It should hopefully die down again within a day or two. If at all possible, just sit it out. If you are really worried, you can put a divider into the cage and re-introduce your boys on neutral ground again once things have calmed down.
But please only do this no more than once or twice at the utmost; otherwise it destabilises the bond. Guinea pigs don't do off-on - every meeting is a full-on bonding session for them with the whole bonding manual having to be worked through from scratch

Please take the time to read this guide here. It tells you exactly how to proceed:
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

PS: We are doing our best to answer any thread on our forum as promptly as possible and help everybody. If you put the nature of your problem in the title, you will attract the members with similar experienced and will get an better answers sooner instead of ending in the miscellaneous pile that gets addressed last when we work our way down the list of alerts in order of emergency.

 

[Linzig33]

Th

Hi! Your boy is suffering a hormone spike. It should hopefully die down again within a day or two. If at all possible, just sit it out. If you are really worried, you can put a divider into the cage and re-introduce your boys on neutral ground again once things have calmed down.
But please only do this no more than once or twice at the utmost; otherwise it destabilises the bond. Guinea pigs don't do off-on - every meeting is a full-on bonding session for them with the whole bonding manual having to be worked through from scratch

Please take the time to read this guide here. It tells you exactly how to proceed:
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

PS: We are doing our best to answer any thread on our forum as promptly as possible and help everybody. If you put the nature of your problem in the title, you will attract the members with similar experienced and will get an better answers sooner instead of ending in the miscellaneous pile that gets addressed last when we work our way down the list of alerts in order of emergency.

Thanks again Wiebke, I read this post but in my frantic state have maybe considered my boys behaviours as needing to be divided for the time that I’ll be in work. Quite daunting to see them appearing quite distressed, biting the cage and throwing things around in his tantrum. In your experience, if Iv only put up a divide in their cage and not actually separated them, should I handle both boys and put them physically in a different room to sort it out? Or because they have technically been in the same area would it be ok to just open the cage and let them roam as they normally would within my spare room? Thanks again

 

[Linzig33]

Update** Pablo had managed to break through my divide I made and they were both lying next to each other in there house. I inspected both for any cuts/bleeding and they’re fine. Gus does have some ‘boar glue’ on his rump so I’m guessing this is all definitely down to hormones! Will keep an eye on them and maybe not panic as much in future unless there appears to be an inevitable fight about to ensue. Thanks for all the advice

 

[Reenie]

That's great news. They are obviously well bonded and want to be together. Unfortunately, as with some teenage human boys, their hormones get the better of them and they feel the need to make their stamp.