How much is too much?

KatieM

KatieM

Junior Guinea Pig
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This is Spence, his brother Spot has been humping him and doing boar glue like it’s his day job. I know everyone says it’s normal and they were fighting what I thought was normal. But then I started noticing fur around the cage. They are both white so hard to tell but Spence had so much boar glue on his butt, bald spots and is bleeding under the matting. He’s an old guy and so sweet. He let me cut most of the matting off except the part that’s bleeding. How do I clean this? Poor guy is in pain and I’m ready to find Spot a new home at this point, he is not the kindest pig

Spence has no other obvious bites but it’s hard to tell he could be getting humped and getting bite butts. I hear them running around when it happens but when I approach Spot is scared of me so he runs away so I’m not sure what’s happening! Spot is completely clear of any bites or boar glue.

Advice needed 😮‍💨
 

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KatieM said:
This is Spence, his brother Spot has been humping him and doing boar glue like it’s his day job. I know everyone says it’s normal and they were fighting what I thought was normal. But then I started noticing fur around the cage. They are both white so hard to tell but Spence had so much boar glue on his butt, bald spots and is bleeding under the matting. He’s an old guy and so sweet. He let me cut most of the matting off except the part that’s bleeding. How do I clean this? Poor guy is in pain and I’m ready to find Spot a new home at this point, he is not the kindest pig

Spence has no other obvious bites but it’s hard to tell he could be getting humped and getting bite butts. I hear them running around when it happens but when I approach Spot is scared of me so he runs away so I’m not sure what’s happening! Spot is completely clear of any bites or boar glue.

Advice needed 😮‍💨
Click to expand...

Hi


I am very sorry; this rather looks like bullying to me.

What you can do is a 2 day trial separation with a divider. If Spot perks up pretty immediately once he is away from Spence, you have your answer.
If the answer is not as clear, conduct a formal re-intro on neutral ground outside the cage that is noboar's territory. If the boys are happy to be together and just fit in without any shenanigans, then Spot clearly wants to be with Spence. If the usual aggro starts up very quickly again, then I would separate.
Ignore Spence's behaviour; he will not be happy and will want to be back with Spot but that is not the issue.
This is about as close as we can come to ask our piggies as to their true feelings about a relationship.

- Bonds In Trouble
- Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
 
Wiebke said:
Hi


I am very sorry; this rather looks like bullying to me.

What you can do is a 2 day trial separation with a divider. If Spot perks up pretty immediately once he is away from Spence, you have your answer.
If the answer is not as clear, conduct a formal re-intro on neutral ground outside the cage that is noboar's territory. If the boys are happy to be together and just fit in without any shenanigans, then Spot clearly wants to be with Spence. If the usual aggro starts up very quickly again, then I would separate.
Ignore Spence's behaviour; he will not be happy and will want to be back with Spot but that is not the issue.
This is about as close as we can come to ask our piggies as to their true feelings about a relationship.

- Bonds In Trouble
- Moody Guinea Pigs: Depression, Bullying, Aggression, Stress, Fear and Antisocial Behaviour
Click to expand...
Their names are backwards but I know what you mean! Just split their cage in half then? Or complete separation?
I will ignore Spot and see how Spence acts!
 
KatieM said:
Their names are backwards but I know what you mean! Just split their cage in half then? Or complete separation?
I will ignore Spot and see how Spence acts!
Click to expand...

Sorry about getting the names the wrong way. I would initially split the cage and see how they react when they cannot get at each other - that will give you the answer you need for your own peace of mind. You can take it from there for the long term without feeling under pressure.
 
Wiebke said:
Sorry about getting the names the wrong way. I would initially split the cage and see how they react when they cannot get at each other - that will give you the answer you need for your own peace of mind. You can take it from there for the long term without feeling under pressure.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much, I have their cage split now. Some initial confusion and nose butting each other through the divider. But I definitely want to see what they do longer term. And this allowed Spence to heal his skin
 
Wiebke said:
Sorry about getting the names the wrong way. I would initially split the cage and see how they react when they cannot get at each other - that will give you the answer you need for your own peace of mind. You can take it from there for the long term without feeling under pressure.
Click to expand...
As you expected Spot (instigator) is freaking out but Spence is unbothered! I’ll keep watching them!
 
The boy have been separated for 4 days now, they are completely indifferent to eachother. They aren’t begging to get to each other and they aren’t being aggressive. Spence (bullied) got his voice back, I hadn’t heard him wheek in so long! Poor guy was sad.

They are completely fine in the split cage but it doesn’t feel fair to them? Is it even realistic to keep them like that long term, Spot may not be super kind but I want him to have a good quality of life too. So rehoming is on the table, I know it would just be hard to find someone willing to take in a pig who hates people and needs to live alone
 
My boys are neighbors after bullying and they are happier having their own territory and get enough interaction through the bars. There is nothing wrong with having neighbors. They can live a fulfilling life. As long as they are side by side.
 
It is perfectly fine to keep them side by side. As long as you can provide ‘in cage’ mental stimulation, then being side by side still means they get all the communication they need with another piggy but without the pressure of sharing territory.
They will be communicating with each other as a lot of it is via body language and scent - things which you can’t pick up on.
You will find several of us who have this set up for our boars who have fallen out

If you do decide to rehome spot then you cannot do so with the proviso that he needs to live alone as that simply isn’t the case at all and would subject him to a lonely life. Spot and Spence didn’t get on with each other but they both absolutely will find a friend in a different piggy if you choose not to keep them side by side.

So if you choose to rehome Spot then he needs to go to a home where he can be bonded with a compatible boar (or be neutered and live with a sow).
The same goes for Spence - without spot being beside him you will need to bond him with another piggy.

Two of my boys fell out when they were 18 weeks old with an almighty fight. They are now 3 years old and have lived side by side happily ever since. They are much happier being like this and not having to share a cage.
When one of my other older boars was left bereaved, I bonded one of my single boys with my bereaved boy and they lived together very happily until the older one also passed and now the two younger are back side by side.

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
I also have separated boys, as do many others. As long as each has plenty of space they will be fine. They will be more aware of each other than you realise
 
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