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Mr Bear & Mr Piglet - honeymoon over?

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MellyWelly

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I really don't know what to do. Please help.

My boars just 'tolerate' each other, (I'm sure they don't even snuggle up in the bedroom to keep warm), they've lived together for 5 months now, and I'm now very worried:

I've been watching the boys behaviour more closely recently, as there's been a lot of rumbling, teeth chattering and hip swaying from Mr Piglet (7 months). His partner Mr Bear (17 months) doesn't really display much of these traits, but has recently been very, very grumpy. He'll turn on Mr Piglet and there will occasionally be a scuffle, almost as if he's enough of young Piglet's bravado. It's so difficult to know who turns on who first, but this morning at feeding time, there was a smal scuffle and Bear had some of Piglet's fur in his mouth...

As they're in the shed now, they have access via a ramp to their run, giving them plenty of room to get away from each other during the day; toys, boxes to hide in and plenty of hay.

When I got home tonight there was some blood on the newspaper, their litter tray had been turned over, it probably looked worse than it was. I've checked them both over and it looks like Piglet has a tiny cut on his nose, I can only pressume this came from a nip from Bear.

I've just cleaned their hutch, and given them their evening greens and they seem ok, maybe the odd chatter (from both of them) and more yawning than I'd like to see. But seriously, I can't keep my eye on them constantly, can I?

I really don't want to do it, but my husband says that perhaps I should separate them - have one indoors and another outdoors, or get them new partners?

I've read this thread but I'm still unsure on what action to take...
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=28949&highlight=fighting+boars&page=6

Can anyone give me advice please? It's getting me down as I think these boys want a divorce.
x
 
I beleive, as a rule, that as soon as any blood is drawn then they must be seperated.

I sometimes find small tufts of fur from one of my piggies on the floor but there is never any serious fights, and they never use teeth. I beleive that once teeth are being used things are getting serious.

Mine never ever sleep together... They would never tolerate that of each other hahaha.

-Carma
 
You should not keep a single pig outdoors, especially as the weather will be getting colder.
When I had to separate my boys Tom and Jerry after they fought, I put them in separate cages next-door to each other so they could still talk to each other through the bars. Piggies do like there to be another pig around, even if only to swear at :(|)
Although my two would never tolerate shared accommodation after they had fought, they were willing to share a lap.
I think if they have had a serious fight with blood drawn, it would be best to rearrange your accommodation so they can live as next-door neighbours rather than cage-mates - There is no need to move them out of sight and hearing of one another altogether, I think that might cause them to become bored and withdrawn.
 
Hi Mel

I'm sorry to hear your boys are being quarrelsome, it could be down to the age of Mr Bear (who is at his hormonal peak), and they might be able to ride through the storm if no serious damage is done.. but it depends how bad the 'bickering' is. I have pairs of boars who kind of rub along; they don't love each other, as such, but have never done enough damage to be separated. I also have some very closely bonded boar pairs - it just depends on the pigs. If they have lots of space and 2 of everything (bowls, veg piles, etc) then they can manage to co exist in the same space but if they are fundamentally unhappy together then it would be best to separate.

Sophie
x
 
Thanks Sophie. If I had to separate them, could they in theory be paired with a new chum in time - someone who they can really get on with? I can't guarantee the blood came from a 'fight' injury, I don't want to be too quick in separating them, but I realise I will have to act soon if this escalates.
 
You should not keep a single pig outdoors, especially as the weather will be getting colder.
When I had to separate my boys Tom and Jerry after they fought, I put them in separate cages next-door to each other so they could still talk to each other through the bars. Piggies do like there to be another pig around, even if only to swear at :(|)
Although my two would never tolerate shared accommodation after they had fought, they were willing to share a lap.
I think if they have had a serious fight with blood drawn, it would be best to rearrange your accommodation so they can live as next-door neighbours rather than cage-mates - There is no need to move them out of sight and hearing of one another altogether, I think that might cause them to become bored and withdrawn.

I agree with this as this is exactly what happened to mine and now they live side by side and are very happy! They just cant be in the same space but happy as neighbours!
 
You should not keep a single pig outdoors, especially as the weather will be getting colder.

May I ask why?

At the moment I have four guineas living outside, alone, as they are either still full of tadpoles/waiting for their blokey to lose the tadpoles/beat everyone up. All are fine, have plenty of hay, eating fine (too much, tsk) and in good spirits.

They do come into my conservatory in a week or so's time, but one will be on his own next Spring/Summer/early Autumn too unless he stops being an ASBO guinea pig.
 
Hi Mel

I'm sorry to hear your boys are being quarrelsome, it could be down to the age of Mr Bear (who is at his hormonal peak), and they might be able to ride through the storm if no serious damage is done.. but it depends how bad the 'bickering' is. I have pairs of boars who kind of rub along; they don't love each other, as such, but have never done enough damage to be separated. I also have some very closely bonded boar pairs - it just depends on the pigs. If they have lots of space and 2 of everything (bowls, veg piles, etc) then they can manage to co exist in the same space but if they are fundamentally unhappy together then it would be best to separate.

Sophie
x

I too have kept several pairs of boars at various times and as Sophie says, some are really 'in love' and others just seem to put up with each other rolleyes Boars can 'square up' to each other on occassion and all is not always harmonious.................

Boars around 6 - 9 months ish can be awkward but do often get over it. The issue you may have if you decide to split them and get them a new friend each is that if they fall out at a later point you could end up with 4 single boars........................

Think if you wanted to pair them up with a new buddy maybe you could consider getting them neutered and then they could have a girlfriend each - rather depends if you want to go that route though - they would probably be quite happy living next door to each other if it becomes impossible for them to live together.

Teresa xx

PS :- they were a bit difficult for the first couple of days when they came to stay with me but settled down again with no intervention...................
 
The boys seem ok this morning. Separate piles of food helped :)

Teresa, the option of neutering the boys, and then getting them girlfriends might be the way forward – then I get to have more piggies ;) Will consider this carefully.

This is a picture of the cut on Piglet's nose, it's tiny really and looks like a nip rather than a huge bite mark...

nose.jpg
 
Definitely looks like a bite but see how they go... you can't win really, if you are too quick to separate then you end up with single piggies living alone, too slow and you end up with bloody noses!

Careful monitoring is the way ahead, I think - along with lots of space. If they are fighting over hidey holes etc. then I take them away and just put them in a huge cage with just bedding and bowls.

Sophie
x
 
"Quote:
Originally Posted by sammyroo
You should not keep a single pig outdoors, especially as the weather will be getting colder.

May I ask why?

At the moment I have four guineas living outside, alone, as they are either still full of tadpoles/waiting for their blokey to lose the tadpoles/beat everyone up. All are fine, have plenty of hay, eating fine (too much, tsk) and in good spirits.

They do come into my conservatory in a week or so's time, but one will be on his own next Spring/Summer/early Autumn too unless he stops being an ASBO guinea pig. "

There are two reasons for not keeping a guinea pig alone outdoors. One is the cold - you say you will be bringing yours in to the conservatory soon, so that will not apply. A single pig will lose more body heat than one which has a companion to snuggle up with, but I would not categorise a conservatory as 'outdoors', I mean out in a hutch. Also, a pig which is left outdoors with no other company is likely to become bored, lonely, withdrawn. Again, you have four piggies living next door to one another. What I meant was if somebody had just one pig, on his own, in a hutch, outdoors, with no other pigs around.
Piggies do like the comany of other piggies; next door is OK if they can interact through the bars. If, for whatever reason, you have to have just one piggie, he or she should be kept indoors as 'part of the family' and talked to a lot.
Your situation of four living near each other in a conservatory is very different from putting just one out doors in a hutch with no company.
 
I second it, once they'res blood you seperate. I've just seperated mine, within this hour. Zambi's mouth was bleeding from an attack from mali :(
 
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