so i have 3 male guinea pigs 2 5 months old 1 6 months old they have gotten along great until this morning i seen my dominate piggie beating up my other 2 no major injuries just a few miner scratches they were in a 4 x 6 cnc cage i have now separated into 2x 6 cages with my bully in one and the other two in the other he can talk to them if he wants to but I'm worried and want to get him another piggie i don't want to have him neutered to be paired up with a female if i found a younger smaller male would i be able to introduce and cage him together in 2 duos
male trio fell apart (oc) need advice
- Thread starter falslabz
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- bond fallout
I’m sorry to hear they have fallen out. A boar trio is very unstable.
Your single boy will be absolutely fine to be kept single provided he has side interaction with the pair. He does not need to have another piggy in with him. (I have a bonded pair of boars and two single boars. The two singles were a pair but their bond broke down so they now live side by side - so I have four piggies in three cages).
However if you do choose to get him a friend you need to ensure the piggy you get is going to be submissive and that they are compatible to ensure they bond.
The best way to find a new friend is with the help of a rescue centre if you have one available. Trying to bond piggies during their teens can be tricky due to the hormones and their help can be valuable in ensuring you don’t end up with another failed bond.
If you buy a baby piggy (from a shop for example), he may well be accepted (you also say smaller but physical size is irrelevant) but it also means that that baby piggy will go through his teens during the time your current single piggy is also still a teenager and you won’t know whether the baby may also become dominant. If he also wanted to be dominant then you would have two dominant piggies together and you would run the risk of them also falling out and needing to be separated.
If you speak to a centre they can help find a submissive piggy for your dominant boy and you can be assured of a higher chance of a long term successful bond.
If you don’t have the option of a rescue centre and do choose to buy a younger piggy then it’s obviously absolutely fine to do so, but do ensure you have a plan b for living arrangements and further splitting the cage if they dont bond or if their bond fails down the line.
On the subject of neutering him, as you still have a functioning boar pair you should avoid introducing a sow into the room anyway. If your two boys who are living together even smell a sow then it can also cause them to fight with each other even if they can never physically get to her.
I’ve added some guides below for further information.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Your single boy will be absolutely fine to be kept single provided he has side interaction with the pair. He does not need to have another piggy in with him. (I have a bonded pair of boars and two single boars. The two singles were a pair but their bond broke down so they now live side by side - so I have four piggies in three cages).
However if you do choose to get him a friend you need to ensure the piggy you get is going to be submissive and that they are compatible to ensure they bond.
The best way to find a new friend is with the help of a rescue centre if you have one available. Trying to bond piggies during their teens can be tricky due to the hormones and their help can be valuable in ensuring you don’t end up with another failed bond.
If you buy a baby piggy (from a shop for example), he may well be accepted (you also say smaller but physical size is irrelevant) but it also means that that baby piggy will go through his teens during the time your current single piggy is also still a teenager and you won’t know whether the baby may also become dominant. If he also wanted to be dominant then you would have two dominant piggies together and you would run the risk of them also falling out and needing to be separated.
If you speak to a centre they can help find a submissive piggy for your dominant boy and you can be assured of a higher chance of a long term successful bond.
If you don’t have the option of a rescue centre and do choose to buy a younger piggy then it’s obviously absolutely fine to do so, but do ensure you have a plan b for living arrangements and further splitting the cage if they dont bond or if their bond fails down the line.
On the subject of neutering him, as you still have a functioning boar pair you should avoid introducing a sow into the room anyway. If your two boys who are living together even smell a sow then it can also cause them to fight with each other even if they can never physically get to her.
I’ve added some guides below for further information.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Excellent advice (as always) from @Piggies&buns. I’m so sorry that your trio has gone the way of the overwhelming majority. You were brave to try but well done for stepping in and separating as soon as you saw the fight.