Rescued boys

[Piggies25]

Hello everyone I have recently rescued two boars and I'm doing the typical new (piggy) mum thing of worrying about everything!
I have had them just under a week, the larger male Jerry has calmed down a lot but still displays his dominance at every opportunity despite Ben being submissive. I have gotten them two of everything but he will still growl/teeth chatter, send Ben from the bed he considers his own and occasionally chase him. Is this average behaviour?
I want both boys to be as happy as I can make them, is there anyway to further tone this behaviour down and would you consider it mild enough not to make Ben unhappy?
I've read through few threads of this very informative site but am still concerned about getting the balance of veg right, I get the impression feeding incorrect amounts of certain food could lead to too much calcium and bladder stones? Would balancing with veg high in magnesium help?
I also get the impression boars need more care/checking due to their bits, as a new mum I'm unsure what's normal and how often I should check for potential problems.
Thanks in advance

 

[Piggies&buns]

Dominance displays are normal. Nothing to worry about unless it turns into a full blown fight. It can take a long time before things settle down. How old are they? If they are young, then you can expect this to keep going until they reach adulthood. You’ve done right by having two of everything. Sometimes, but it doesn’t sound like you are in this situation, having a third of the items to act as a decoy can help - one piggy can’t guard two beds at the same time! The important thing is making sure they have plenty of space.
Feed them a cup of a variety of veg a day. Some pigs are predisposed to stones regardless of their diet. Just keep everything in moderation. Filter their water.
I have a pair of boars and they do seem to need checking often.

 

[dannif_piggies]

Hey! And welcome to the slave world of caring for piggies. Tom and Jerry will turn you into a human slave and then you'll get into a continued love for piggies in general and never not want to keep them

Tom and Jerry seem like they are just figuring out their heirachy as long as their is no blood drawn, it may just be them getting used to their new environment, Even my two girls who generally get on very very well, still occasionally chatter at eachother and rumblestrut, it's just them ensuring the heirachy is the same, and as Willow is getting old I think she is wanting top piggy spot! It's good hat you have two of everything as this gives each piggy their own space to go to and prevent bullying away from food/water/hides.

In terms of veg, most things to be in moderation, and generally if your balancing their diet, things seem to be okay (I'm not exceptionally clued up on veg myself so someone else may be able to link you time information) but as long as your making sure you're not giving them loads of the same thing every day..
I personally have never kept boars and so have no advice on this matter, however I would assume the willy check would go hand in hand with a weekly health check of your piggies, this ideally should include, eyes, ears, nose, teeth, weigh in... by doing this regularly, you get to know your piggies, and what's normal for them.. if you see anything different it may be an underlying and hidden health problem and guinea pigs are very good at hiding illness and often checks like these can indicate a problem early enough so that something can be done about it!

Being a new piggy owner there A LOT of information to take in, however as long as they have a large enough cage, plenty of stimulation, daily feeding and watering (don't look at the water bottle and wait for it to empty, change water out daily) and a weekly weigh in, you will soon get the hang of things and your piggies will love it!

Advice also, vet bills will be the most expensive part of caring for your piggies, so depending on your age, either put away a small amount each month in a "vet fund" or ask your guardian to do this... this way you will have money out away in the event of an emergency (which is nearly always is an emergency with piggies)

Anyway, good luck! And enjoy your new friends! Welcome to the forum once more

 

[Wiebke]

Hello everyone I have recently rescued two boars and I'm doing the typical new (piggy) mum thing of worrying about everything!
I have had them just under a week, the larger male Jerry has calmed down a lot but still displays his dominance at every opportunity despite Ben being submissive. I have gotten them two of everything but he will still growl/teeth chatter, send Ben from the bed he considers his own and occasionally chase him. Is this average behaviour?
I want both boys to be as happy as I can make them, is there anyway to further tone this behaviour down and would you consider it mild enough not to make Ben unhappy?
I've read through few threads of this very informative site but am still concerned about getting the balance of veg right, I get the impression feeding incorrect amounts of certain food could lead to too much calcium and bladder stones? Would balancing with veg high in magnesium help?
I also get the impression boars need more care/checking due to their bits, as a new mum I'm unsure what's normal and how often I should check for potential problems.
Thanks in advance

Hi and welcome!

Your boy behaviour is normal as they establish a working group hierarchy in their new home.

You may find the sample diet in our diet guide useful as basis for your long term diet. The diet guide is pretty precise as to how much veg and the sample diet includes a magnesium rich veg (unfortunately magnesium is coupled with higher calcium content, but it is not provided in pellets). Key is not exlcuding all calcium from the diet but finding a balance.
Our sample diet is based on what in practice has been turned out to be a good long term workable basis for our long standing members. We have very little in the way of problems with the urinary tract, including stones, and our piggies live noticeably longer. We have all our own little add-ons, but this is basically the common denominator, so I think it is not the worst place to start out from.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Our boar guide should be very helpful in boar care. A life long weekly checkover and weigh-in is what we recommend to keep an eye on the healthy. Step it up if you are worried about something and weigh daily if you have any concerns over the food intake. You can't control the hay intake any other way, and as it is by far the largest percentage of what a piggy eats, it can lose a lot very quickly without you noticing when you just watch it nibbling on a little less veg.
These guides her will hopefully help you learn what is normal and what not; they have been specifically written for our new owners.
Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
Guinea pig body quirks
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Syringe Training Before The Need For Medicating

 

[Piggies25]

Thank you for all the advice.
They are a year and a half old.
Do you think the dominance displays will calm as they settle more? (Had them 6 days)
Iam ever so relieved to have a clear feeding guide for my boys as providing them with the right balance is daunting as it seems complex.

 

[Betsy]

Dominance displays will settle down. Any new situation means a new hierarchy needs to be established. To your piggies even if you move them to a new room it is as if you have moved them 100 miles!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for all the advice.
They are a year and a half old.
Do you think the dominance displays will calm as they settle more? (Had them 6 days)
Iam ever so relieved to have a clear feeding guide for my boys as providing them with the right balance is daunting as it seems complex.

Dominance will absolutely settle as they settle in. I’ve had my boys since the end of June and although they do still do it, it is so much less than it was. Do be aware that any change in environment can set off dominance though. I bought my two boys a bigger hutch three days ago and they spent 24 hours showing off to each other but they are now fine again.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for all the advice.
They are a year and a half old.
Do you think the dominance displays will calm as they settle more? (Had them 6 days)
Iam ever so relieved to have a clear feeding guide for my boys as providing them with the right balance is daunting as it seems complex.

It takes on average about 2 weeks for a bonding to settle down. your boys have just about come out of their teenage hormones so a major change of environment (which always triggers a new hierarchy sort-out) is bound to a be bit more lively. make sure that you only have got hideys with two exits and let them get on with it as long as the dominance behaviour is in the mild to medium range.

It is a lot more nerve-wracking when it is the first time you are confronted with this and do not yet have the feel for whether things are in a safe range, whether they are right up at the limit but with both piggies careful to not cross it or whether it is in the potentially explosive band.