Potentially aggressive guinea pig

Rivervixen

Rivervixen

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I bought my males together, and they’ve been fine up until lately. The one who’s causing the problems would bury underneath the other during lap time, like the other pig would literally have to stand on him until they were moved. Lately my pig has been pulling the other’s fur, kicking him, and trying to throw him during lap time. He’s also been biting more frequently and just now he was chattering his teeth at me. Any advice is welcome, the other pig is incredibly chill and peaceful, I don’t want to have to separate them
 
They’re around 5 months if I’m right and it’s the largest the pet store had, they said it’d be fine when they’re bigger but I know it’s not, it’s a little cramped. I have ordered a c&c 2x5, just waiting for it to come
 
Rivervixen said:
They’re around 5 months if I’m right and it’s the largest the pet store had, they said it’d be fine when they’re bigger but I know it’s not, it’s a little cramped. I have ordered a c&c 2x5, just waiting for it to come
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Hi!

Your boys are right in the middle of teenage now and coming right up to the weeks when their testosterone output is reaching its all-time high.

Please take the time to read both these guides; they will explain more about how the teenage months, any dos and don'ts with boars (which are extremely important during this time; including introducing new space without triggering a full-blown dominance fight).
The first link has more about how to stabilise a boar bond and all the dos and don'ts; the second concentrates more on how to figure out whether your bond is still OK and if necessary picking up the pieces. You will them very helpful as they explain everything properly, which I cannot do in one post.
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
 
If the cage is below the minimum size guide then that's not going to help when they are pumped full of hormones. Will you be waiting long for it to arrive? Is there anything else you can use in the meantime to give them more space, some floor time perhaps or any large boxes that are bigger than the cage? Anything to help release some tension while waiting on the cage
 
Both my guinea pigs are 9 months old, and after a night and a day of separation after a pretty bad fight. I rebonded them on neutral territory yesterday, and now they’re the very best of friends. The things you’re describing seem to be the things that led up to my guinea pigs fight. I recommend trying to separate them. Do you have two of everything? Is there enough space for them to get away from each other? Is the aggressive one bullying the other one?
 
@Lady Kelly it’s the popular c&c cage website, they’re closed until 1st of August and it says pending orders will be dispatched on the 5th. Unfortunately there’s nothing else that’s bigger right now. I do give them floor time but they just sit there huddled up, I’m not sure if that’s what they’re meant to do but I always feel bad and end up picking them up.

@Caviecrazy there isn’t enough room for two of everything unfortunately, that’s where I’m going to start in the new cage. There are places for them to hide but not sure if there’s enough space. Definitely starting to see that space is the issue..
He isn’t constantly bullying him but if he sees an opening he will take it, he follows him around a lot and tries to instigate things and my other just shakes his bum at him and toddles off
 
When you give them floor time do they have somewhere to go to hide? They might cope better if you can put a sheet or something up so they feel a bit less vulnerable.
 
It sounds like dominant boar behaviour, keep a close eye on them. If thing between them get very heated, an overnight separation can help cool things down a bit. Try added a couple of cardboard boxes with two openings so no one gets cornered, tunnels are good and little trails of veggies may make floor time a little bit more interesting for them
 
Thank you both, I’ll grab something with two openings and put it in the corner
 
Could you set up a playpen around their cage so they have access 24/7 to ut?
 
Set up the play pen and then put the cage inside it. You’d need a ramp of some sort from the cage to the floor.
 
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