Potential fighting males. With new male rabbits in same area.

[Amy2710]

I have two male guinea pigs (1years old and 2 years old) I have had them both since babies and has bonded well over the past year.
I have recently rescued two male un-neutered (for know- they are booked in at the vet to be neutered for 2 weeks time) rabbits, which are in the same room as my pigs.
In the past week I have noticed my pigs humping each other a lot. Today they were chattering there teeth and I noticed them lunge at each other, I have no put a devider up in there c and c cage for a cooling off period.
Why could this be? Is it that the one year old is now growing up and now wanting to show dominance? Or perhaps it’s the testosterone in the room from the rabbits?
Please any help will be appreciated
Amy

 

[DM030819]

@Amy2710 It could be their age. Do they have a nice big cage? Do they have lots of hideys and a bowl and water dish each?

 

[Amy2710]

@Amy2710 It could be their age. Do they have a nice big cage? Do they have lots of hideys and a bowl and water dish each?

Yess I have a large L shaped c and c cage, I also have a run they go into. They have sepereate hidey holes and double bowls and water bottles at both ends of the cage. I wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence since getting the bunnies that the behaviour has started? If the testosterone is a worry for different animals?
Thank you for getting in touch

 

[piggieminder]

It could be the rabbits. Boars who are just getting along can start having dominance issues triggered by change. Things like a clean cage or moving to an outside run from indoors can do it. It could be the strange noises, smells etc from something new in their shed.

 

[Amy2710]

It could be the rabbits. Boars who are just getting along can start having dominance issues triggered by change. Things like a clean cage or moving to an outside run from indoors can do it. It could be the strange noises, smells etc from something new in their shed.

Will this make a difference once my rabbits have been neutered?

 

[AD12]

How close are the rabbits?

 

[Amy2710]

How close are the rabbits?

So my pigs are on a table and the rabbits are on the floor beside and bellow them. I have attached a picture

 

[piggieminder]

Will this make a difference once my rabbits have been neutered?

I can't see neutering the rabbits is going to make a difference to the piggies the rabbits are just something new in their environment, if their bond is strong enough they will quickly get used to the change and not take any notice. It's not necessarily the rabbits upsetting them it may have happended anyway, boars can try having a dominance reshuffle anytime, it tends to get less likely and less intense as they get older but it can still happen. It can get triggered by change in the environment though. It could be your 1 year old has decided it's his turn to be boss. My 4.5 year old normally very settled pair had a very tense 24 hrs recently, mounting and rumble strutting, it stopped after I put a divider in the cage for a few hours, they cooled down thenand have been fine again since.
Have a read through the guides in the Behaviour and Bonding section theres lots of information on boars and their behaviour.
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides

 

[Amy2710]

I can't see neutering the rabbits is going to make a difference to the piggies the rabbits are just something new in their environment, if their bond is strong enough they will quickly get used to the change and not take any notice. It's not necessarily the rabbits upsetting them it may have happended anyway, boars can try having a dominance reshuffle anytime, it tends to get less likely and less intense as they get older but it can still happen. It can get triggered by change in the environment though. It could be your 1 year old has decided it's his turn to be boss. My 4.5 year old normally very settled pair had a very tense 24 hrs recently, mounting and rumble strutting, it stopped after I put a divider in the cage for a few hours, they cooled down thenand have been fine again since.
Have a read through the guides in the Behaviour and Bonding section theres lots of information on boars and their behaviour.
Behaviour, Bonding & Bereavement Guides

Thank you very much for this

 

[AD12]

Is there anywhere else you can keep the piggies? Rabbits carry a bacteria which can cause respiratory disease in pigs so having them that close really isn't ideal, potential stress from smells aside.

 

[cavylover2002]

 

[Bill & Ted]

I once put my two boars in a beautiful 6ft Rabbit hutch we got given by one of our relatives. It was used by a rabbit previously, cleaned and disinfected and in fab condition. I thought the boys would love the extra space. They went absolutely bonkers, I had to separate them for 3 hours until they had settled down. I can only assume it was the smell of the rabbit that caused it. They have never fallen out before or after that incident.