Strange Boar Behaviour. Bullying? Or Just Over Zellious?

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Briony_S

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Last night I was horrified by one of my boars. Before I start I must say he is neutered.

Last week one of my boars partners passed away. She was fine one minute coming up to bars for evening feeding time. When I went back in at bedtime to say night as I do most nights she wassdead. Presume maybe heart attack as she was not showing any ill signs prior. She was at least 4 years old. I adopted her around January but she could have been older!

Anyway after a day of greaving I introduced the lonely boy into an exisiting group of three girls the youngest being 3 months. She was the runt so still very small. All seemed well other than a bit of rumbling and showing off.

Last night when I was in bed my husband said I should get up and check on the pigs as one was making a funny noise. I went in and sure enough my youngest girl was crying (don't no technical term for noise but sounds a bit like puppy crying).

I picked her up and gave her a cuddle and she calmed down. I them put her back and quitely watched. Sure enough along comes rupert and roughly starts pulling at her hair. I leave him to it thinking it might not be that rough its probably just grooming. Then he pulls really hard and lifts her off the ground by her hair and sure enough she's crying again.

I've removed him over night as its not fair to her. Does anyone know if this is him trying to look after her and getting it wrong or is he being intentionally mean?

For today I'm going to leave him alone but long term I may have to split my group so he has a friemd but cannot be near my little girl being so rough!
 
I'm sorry to hear this. and sorry for loss!
Maybe you could get another guinea pig for the one that is alone instead of splitting the group up. I know another guinea pig would be alot but I don't think splitting the group up would be good as they wouldn't see it as 'us' anymore but more like 'them' and 'us'. I'm sorry but I don't really have advice.

Good Luck x
 
I am very sorry for your loss!

The crying is in good part submission and not actually pain, as your group is establishing a new hierarchy at the moment although pulling the little one up by its hairs is on the rough side for dominance behaviour. Give them time to settle down, if necessary under supervision. Remove all hideys with just one exit.
 
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