New Guinea pig owner. Fighting / concerns

[Smy1]

We have recently rehomed 2 Guinea’s. One is 2 1/2 yrs and one 7 months. They already lived together happily when we got them. Since bringing them home they have been bickering but unfortunately it’s just getting worse. They have once head on, jumped at each other and nip at each other a lot. No blood has be drawn yet but I don’t feel it’s getting any better? They are in a cage 100cm at night but we try and get them out in to a pen everyday for as long as possible. Any suggestions for anything I can do to help ? Should I separated them? Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[VickiA]

Hello and welcome.
The change in home is enough to trigger dominance behaviours in a bonded pair of piggies. Unfortunately your cage is too small. A pair of boars needs a minimum 120 cage and preferably larger. You need enough space for 2 of everything so there’s no arguing. Also, the 71/2 month old is at his hormonal time so will be challenging the older one. Again for this reason they need the largest living space permanently and not just when you are able to put them in a run.

Please have a look at these helpful guides
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[Lady Kelly]

Unfortunately your cage is just two small and neither of the boys are able to have their own space within it/get away from each other. The minimum size for two sows is 120cm and it is now widely accepted that two boys need 140cm upwards. I even had two sows initially in a 100cm cage where they would constantly bicker due to not being able to get away from each other.

How big is your pen? Is it possible to use something like a shower curtain to line it so it's waterproof as a stop gap to giving them permanently more space while you figure out the cage situation?

 

[Smy1]

Thank you for your reply’s. This was my suspicion. The pen is much larger it’s about 2m wide circle which it does have a waterproof bottom and might be the answer temporarily. It’s just to big to have up permanently unfortunately.

Can I ask your thoughts on 2 storey cages?

 

[Lady Kelly]

Thank you for your reply’s. This was my suspicion. The pen is much larger it’s about 2m wide circle which it does have a waterproof bottom and might be the answer temporarily. It’s just to big to have up permanently unfortunately.

Can I ask your thoughts on 2 storey cages?

Generally only one floor counts as piggies mostly stick to one level and it's unlikely one will take themselves to the other floor to move away. C&C cages can be more flexible if space is an issue as you don't have to have a rectangle and can be L shaped if that works better

 

[DMS260820]

I only just get away with having a boar and sow in a 120cm cage, I'm lucky my boar is very layed back. I agree with the above.if you can just manage to get a 140cm cage minimum, or do the c&c L shape cage, thats your next thing to try and sort this situation out. Good luck .

 

[Wiebke]

You may find our cage size guide helpful: Cage Size Guide

 

[Smy1]

Thank you.

We have put the pen out for them and I’m off to the pet shop to get duplicates of everything. My dad is going to build them a hutch with run for the garden 160cm long as out there they will get the most space. Fingers crossed they will be much happier. Thank you xx

 

[Merab]

I made my c&c cage into an L shape so that I could increase floor space in a room that wasn’t long enough for a rectangle .
True - we do now have a table in bits on the landing!

 

[Tangle]

Thank you.

We have put the pen out for them and I’m off to the pet shop to get duplicates of everything. My dad is going to build them a hutch with run for the garden 160cm long as out there they will get the most space. Fingers crossed they will be much happier. Thank you xx

So they’re getting a 160cm hutch, with an extra run? Lucky piggies! That could work well long term.

I’m on the mobile site at the moment and can’t see if you’ve given a location - whereabouts are you? How variable is your weather? How sheltered will your piggy mansion be? (Sorry - it sounds so exciting I’m asking lots of questions!)

 

[Smy1]

So they’re getting a 160cm hutch, with an extra run? Lucky piggies! That could work well long term.

I’m on the mobile site at the moment and can’t see if you’ve given a location - whereabouts are you? How variable is your weather? How sheltered will your piggy mansion be? (Sorry - it sounds so exciting I’m asking lots of questions!)

Well the hutch will be that long with a run section at the bottom for access to grass. We are down south, Hampshire. We have a side shed that they could be moved to for the winter for when it gets coldest but our weather is milder then most of the country we will still have the pen to bring them indoors to. Hopefully that will cover all situations then.
We adore them and we just want them to be happy!
Happy for questions etc. I appreciate it as any advice or things that we have missed / doing wrong I would live to know. Just a shame we were advised the wrong cage in the first place !

 

[Wiebke]

Well the hutch will be that long with a run section at the bottom for access to grass. We are down south, Hampshire. We have a side shed that they could be moved to for the winter for when it gets coldest but our weather is milder then most of the country we will still have the pen to bring them indoors to. Hopefully that will cover all situations then.
We adore them and we just want them to be happy!
Happy for questions etc. I appreciate it as any advice or things that we have missed / doing wrong I would live to know. Just a shame we were advised the wrong cage in the first place !

Hi!

You may want to have a read of our new owners guide collection in which we address specifically all the areas we get the most questions and concerns from new owners about. You may find it both very helpful and interesting to hopefully avoid the worst pitfalls and have a smooth start into your ownership. The collection ranges from settling in and making friends (including some piggy whispering tips); understanding behaviour; housing, diet and care; learning what is normal and what not and when to see a vet as well as lists of recommended vets and good standard rescues you are in safe hands etc...
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

When opting for a hutch, please be aware that you will need to plan for heatwave protection. We had lots of guinea pigs dying last year from heat stroke, not just in exposed hutches, but also in the shade of a tree were owners hadn't accounted for the sun heated breeze.
You can find a hot weather guide in our new owners collection.

 

[Smy1]

Hi!

You may want to have a read of our new owners guide collection in which we address specifically all the areas we get the most questions and concerns from new owners about. You may find it both very helpful and interesting to hopefully avoid the worst pitfalls and have a smooth start into your ownership. The collection ranges from settling in and making friends (including some piggy whispering tips); understanding behaviour; housing, diet and care; learning what is normal and what not and when to see a vet as well as lists of recommended vets and good standard rescues you are in safe hands etc...
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

When opting for a hutch, please be aware that you will need to plan for heatwave protection. We had lots of guinea pigs dying last year from heat stroke, not just in exposed hutches, but also in the shade of a tree were owners hadn't accounted for the sun heated breeze.
You can find a hot weather guide in our new owners collection.

That’s great thank you. I will have. Good read through.

 

[Smy1]

I have just found a scab on one of the piggies back. Thought he was a bit jumpy when I picked him up. wondering if I should separate them for a bit or if this would cause more harm to their bonding?

 

[Wiebke]

I have just found a scab on one of the piggies back. Thought he was a bit jumpy when I picked him up. wondering if I should separate them for a bit or if this would cause more harm to their bonding?

Hi

Please keep an eye on scab and have it vet checked if you see a balding or scabby area developing around it or if become hot and swollen (abscessed bite).

If they are getting on fine and are relaxed with each other, then there is no need to separate. If problems persist, please follow the tios re. tester separation/re-intro in this guide here: Bonds In Trouble

 

[Smy1]

Thank you for the advice. We are keeping a close eye.

They are sometimes relaxed and will go off to their hideouts but then groan at each other a lot. Doesn’t seem to be any humping just face to face groaning and nipping but not Actual nipping. I’m inclined to keep them together and keep an eye but any thoughts appreciated, thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the advice. We are keeping a close eye.

They are sometimes relaxed and will go off to their hideouts but then groan at each other a lot. Doesn’t seem to be any humping just face to face groaning and nipping but not Actual nipping. I’m inclined to keep them together and keep an eye but any thoughts appreciated, thank you

Have read of these guides here to judge the behaviour and dynamics. Any mild to medium dominance behaviour you can accept. Generally, your boys seem to be in that range and obviously careful to not step over the line of no return.

It is not easy for you as a new owner to have that feeling for whether piggies are just willing to go right up to the line but not to cross it, as it is something you only develop with experience throughout a number of bondings and coaching piggies through crises. I have as much as possible tried to put my own experiences into a hopefully comparatively easy to understand guide, seeing how complex cavy interaction and group dynamics actually are.
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
Dominance Behaviours In Guinea Pigs

 

[Smy1]

Thank you for the advice again. I have tread through everything. Like you said it’s jysy not bring sure. We will keep going and watching closely.

Thank you again xx