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My boys will be for ever separated ;(

Stretters91

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Hey everyone !
just thought I’d see what you all thought of the situation !
we’ve had our boys roughly 10 months now ! They got one fine when we have them , ( they were 4 months old when we got them ) then we had few paw issues with one of them So our vet told us to separate them and now they can’t live together ! so now they live separate but next to each other ! ivr just built them a new cage thinking they might get on bit better In new territory but it was no good ! Soon as I put them in they rumble strutted and teeth charting And chasing each other round !
it’s amazing really how in the grass they can be fine outside for hours ! And they will eat together. Just the living part they don’t like !
here a pic of our new set up :)

I feel sorry that they don’t live together ! And they could have so much space if they got on fine ! They always seem happy though and just lay side by side next to the cage ! 😂

thanks everyone !
 

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What was the issues with his foot? I’m sorry a vet has told you to separate but it is rarely the case that separation is actually necessary. You don’t separate teen boars unless there is a very good reason, a foot problem is highly unlikely to be a good enough reason.

So, you separated them on the vets instructions. He then got better so you put them back together but they chased each other so you have separated them again? Is that a correct assessment?

When you put them back together did you do so on neutral territory, or did you just put them back together in their normal cage? Following a separation, all reintroduction need to be done on neutral territory.

As their new cage is a new environment, with new territories, then chasing, mounting, rumbling would all be normal behaviours to see, particularly if they had just been reintroduced - they would need to reestablish their relationship. They are not concerning behaviours or grounds upon which to say they can no longer live together, they are normal dominance behaviours
 
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What was the issues with his foot? I’m sorry a vet has told you to separate but it is rarely the case that separation is actually necessary. You don’t separate teen boars unless there is a very good reason, a foot problem is highly unlikely to be a good enough reason.

So, you separated them on the vets instructions. He then got better so you put them back together but they chased each other so you have separated them again? Is that a correct assessment?

When you put them back together did you do so on neutral territory, or did you just put them back together in their normal cage? Following a separation, all reintroduction need to be done on neutral territory.

As their new cage is a new environment, with new territories, then chasing, mounting, rumbling would all be normal behaviours to see, particularly if they had just been reintroduced - they would need to reestablish their relationship. They are not concerning behaviours or grounds upon which to say they can no longer live together, they are normal dominance behaviours

hi ! Thanks for the help !
yeah we didn’t know why and the vet didn’t know either ,Monty our slightly younger one was limping on his foot , the vet thought they were fighting but we seem no evidence of this !there was no scratching or anything , so they was separate for a week , and we tried to put them back and they just chased and rumble strutted. We didn’t like what we seen , so we reverted back! Even we thought it was strange to separate them.

they have a new cage with a new layout everything , new correx the lot :)
I tried to do it I’m this cage , but they was chasing and sort of facing each other , ( at that part I didn’t know if they was going to scrap )
Could they still be bonded after they have been living next to each other for so long now ? if so I could put them in the kitchen for good few hours with some hay ?
 
hi ! Thanks for the help !
yeah we didn’t know why and the vet didn’t know either ,Monty our slightly younger one was limping on his foot , the vet thought they were fighting but we seem no evidence of this !there was no scratching or anything , so they was separate for a week , and we tried to put them back and they just chased and rumble strutted. We didn’t like what we seen , so we reverted back! Even we thought it was strange to separate them.

they have a new cage with a new layout everything , new correx the lot :)
I tried to do it I’m this cage , but they was chasing and sort of facing each other , ( at that part I didn’t know if they was going to scrap )
Could they still be bonded after they have been living next to each other for so long now ? if so I could put them in the kitchen for good few hours with some hay ?

A medical separation can cause the breakdown of a relationship so this is why it is not recommended to do it unless it is absolutely essential, plus being separated is stressful for them. As I’ve said, a foot problem and limping was not a reason to separate.

Chasing and rumbling is entirely normal and to be expected particularly when they were put back together. Boys will do this throughout their entire lives. It’s not grounds to separate them again.

How long have they been separated?
Yes they could still be bonded but you’re only going to know by playing the reintroduction process out. It is so important to understand the behaviours and what they mean so you don’t step in prematurely.

I’ve added some guides in below to help you on how to go about a reintroduction and what behaviours are normal

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
 
A medical separation can cause the breakdown of a relationship so this is why it is not recommended to do it unless it is absolutely essential, plus being separated is stressful for them. As I’ve said, a foot problem and limping was not a reason to separate.

Chasing and rumbling is entirely normal and to be expected particularly when they were put back together. Boys will do this throughout their entire lives. It’s not grounds to separate them again.

How long have they been separated?
Yes they could still be bonded but you’re only going to know by playing the reintroduction process out. It is so important to understand the behaviours and what they mean so you don’t step in prematurely.

I’ve added some guides in below to help you on how to go about a reintroduction and what behaviours are normal

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs
Thanks again ! We didn’t think it was right to separate ! But we just went with what the vet said :( I always feel bad that they are separate. But they are fine all day outside together in grass ! :) I’m going to try the reintroduction process and see how I get on !
thanks again For the help !
 
Thanks again ! We didn’t think it was right to separate ! But we just went with what the vet said :( I always feel bad that they are separate. But they are fine all day outside together in grass ! :) I’m going to try the reintroduction process and see how I get on !
thanks again For the help !

Make sure that while they are in a neutral area meeting again, that if all goes well, you will need to completely clean down the cage and remove the divider.
 
Make sure that while they are in a neutral area meeting again, that if all goes well, you will need to completely clean down the cage and remove the divider.
Thanks a lot !
we’ve got them somewhere completely different and put them together ! Nothing has really Happened and there just chilling out ! so if we leave them like this till we go back would you think they’ll be okay to put them back in a clean cage without divider ?
 

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Thanks a lot !
we’ve got them somewhere completely different and put them together ! Nothing has really Happened and there just chilling out ! so if we leave them like this till we go back would you think they’ll be okay to put them back in a clean cage without divider ?

Leave them in the neutral area for several hours, just to be sure they are ok together. Then if all is well, you can move them back to the sanitised cage without the divider. You are going to see dominance, but don’t let that worry you, dominance is normal.
 
Leave them in the neutral area for several hours, just to be sure they are ok together. Then if all is well, you can move them back to the sanitised cage without the divider. You are going to see dominance, but don’t let that worry you, dominance is normal.

that’s great ! Thanks for the help !
Because we only cleaned our cage yesterday and it’s getting late to see if they will get on , would you leave them in the neutral area , but what about hideys ? As your not spose to have them while bonding in case one chases the other into it ? :) would you leave it over night and put blanket over the cage ? :) ( parts of the cage )
Sorry for all the questions ! We just want them to be happy together ! 😂
 

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Guys , I’m going to leave them in there neutral cage until we go bed .... but we don’t want to leave them alone over night just in case ? Can we put them back in there separated cage Over night ? And then put them back into neutral cage for rest of the day ?
 
Guys , I’m going to leave them in there neutral cage until we go bed .... but we don’t want to leave them alone over night just in case ? Can we put them back in there separated cage Over night ? And then put them back into neutral cage for rest of the day ?

No you won’t be able to separate them and put them back in the neutral area as you will be starting the whole bonding process again. I’m sure they would be ok to be left in the neutral area over night but I’m not sure about the hideys!
 
Guys , I’m going to leave them in there neutral cage until we go bed .... but we don’t want to leave them alone over night just in case ? Can we put them back in there separated cage Over night ? And then put them back into neutral cage for rest of the day ?

No you can’t separate them again now. Now you’ve put them together, they need to stay together permanently. You either need to leave them in the bonding pen together or move them back to the cage together.
 
Leave out the tunnels and cosies unless you have washed them as they will hold their scent and cause trouble. In any case I would leave out for now until you know they are getting on well. Put plenty of hay to hide under for now
 
We have put them back in a clean cage and there both going for each other teeth chattering and lunging for each other ! They haven’t stopped since going in ..... would this be normal ?
 

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They constantly chased each other around ..... full on teeth chattering , and going for each other :( but never actually causing any harm
 
We have put them back in a clean cage and there both going for each other teeth chattering and lunging for each other ! They haven’t stopped since going in ..... would this be normal ?

Chattering can be normal if it is a mild chattering, chasing is normal. Loud chattering is annoyance and relentless chasing can be a sign of a problem.
Are they full on lunging for each other, teeth shown that kind of thing? If so, then no that’s not normal
 
Yeah they were really loudly tech chattering and when they got near each other they kept lunging at each other with a bit of teeth showing , they was fine at opposite ends of cage but when they came close to each other , they would chase each other round a box hidey or just go for each other ! :( I don’t want to cause them stress as they was chasing each other !
 
Yeah they were really loudly tech chattering and when they got near each other they kept lunging at each other with a bit of teeth showing , they was fine at opposite ends of cage but when they came close to each other , they would chase each other round a box hidey or just go for each other ! :( I don’t want to cause them stress as they was chasing each other !

Then it doesn’t sound like it has worked. If they are lunging for each other and look like they might fight, then they need separating. You won’t be able to have them live together I’m afraid.
 
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