Sudden Conflict

[Seafox16]

Some basic info. Had guineas over 9 months now, they get fresh veg every day.

4 Male Pigs, Goku(over 8 months), Loki(under 6 months), Vegeta(over a year), Roshi(over 8 months)
Cage is a C&C 2 by 6 with a ramp leading to 2 by 2. Both fleece bedding. Plenty of chews, 3 water bottles, 3 containers for hay and food. Only 3 houses but adding 4th soon.

Originally Goku and Roshi were only together, some scuffles but were fine. Later after resucing Vegeta, all 3 were together. Roshi was the smallest and seemed to be submissive as the other two went for dominance and then settled down. Up to this point no big issues, but later I got Loki. Proper introduction, all the pigs seemd fine by him. None really fought for dominance with him, but Roshi suddenly started acting up and picking fights with the others, mostly with Goku but he would pull Lokis hair on the occasion(None of the others would mess with Loki rather goom and lay together). Roshi and Goku were really getting into it, and the next day Goku has a bloody ear and nips taken out of it. I'm assuming it was Roshi, but it vary well could have been Vegeta. I've already seperated them and wondering if anyone has any advice on what could have happened, what i could do. I dont like the idea of keeping a pig alone so I'm trying to see as many options as possible, or dos and donts.
Thankyou
Goku ears being checked on, none of the other boys have any wounds

 

[Siikibam]

I’m afraid boars in more than a pair are hard to have getting along. And, to be honest, I would have upped the cage size - boars need much more space than sows.

Another thing is they’re (3 of them) in their teenage years when the quest for dominance/sorting hierarchy is at its most active. I would see which work together and split them into pairs. When you introduce more pigs to a boar pair, you risk damaging the bond between the established pair - this may have happened seeing as Rossi is going for Goku, who he was originally paired up with.

If space is a premium maybe you could stack the cages. Good luck and someone will be along in the morning for more concrete advise.

 

[tatals]

Yes, I think everyone here will tell you the same thing Siikibam has. The more experienced owners in this forum usually advise against having more than two males together. I have a pair, and even then I had problems with them and had to have them separated.

@Wiebke and others will show up with sound advice, but you should probably take a look at the forum's guides:
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Bonds In Trouble
Boars: A guide to successful companionship.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

In your place, I'd separate Goku from the others and later introduce him to a new boy. Also, keep an eye on that trio.

 

[VickiA]

You have a group of juvenile boars who have hit their teenage hormone fuelled phase. Anything other than a pair of juvenile boars is considered an unstable group. A trio is risky and a quad at this age is almost impossible to succeed and remain as a group into adulthoood.

You may find on the internet stories of groups of more than 2 boars living together but these are usually older boars (introduced well past their hormonal stage) and kept by extremely experienced keepers. Within the rescue we do have a quad of elderly boars who were all individually bereaved and lonely and who have been grateful to be added to the group. The group has been built slowly over time and their behaviour is very carefully monitored. There are also a few members on here who have boar trios. But again these are rare. The key to success is the personality of the piggies, their age, and a huge amount of space.

You have a 2 x 6 c and c. The upper level does not count when considering space. A pair of boars requires a minimum 2 x 5 c and c floor space, so your set up is only slightly larger than that required for 2 boars.

The best thing to do is to separate the group into 2 pairs who get along. Each will need a 2 x 5 c and c. I would keep them as 2 separate pairs and do not attempt to reintroduce as a group again.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I fully agree with @VickiA 's advice.

At 8 months, your boys are right in the thick of one of the most tricky teenage months periods where testing out the limits of the companions is a daily occurrance.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

Teenage boar quartets - with extremely few exeptions, and the few sccussful ones known to me always due to much larger cages than yours in combination with a collection of mostly laid-back personalities - have virtually no chance of making to adulthood together. In our long term experience with other teenage boar quartet owning members, you are otherwise going to end up most likely with one pair and two singles and at the worst (this has happened a few times to forum members) with four singles that will not go back with any of the others again.

Once the testosterone fizzles out in older boars after about age 4 or so, they become more sociable and can be kept in retirement groups., but your boys are currently exactly at the other end of the spectrum when the testosterone output and spikes are at an all-time high during the teenage months.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

This problem is the result of how guinea pig society works: A core group of sows will accept a boar to live with them and father the next generation. A number of these core groups live in close proximity that go off to their feeding grounds some distance away all together in the dawn and dusk; any bachelor boars are hanging loosely around, waiting for their chance with a core group or an adventurous younger sow to found their own group and dynasty. That is why boars in small groups don't work as a rule; they will pair up and work as a larger herd for their overall protection, but they do not form the same small groups as sows do.
Guinea Pig Facts - A Short Overview

 

[Seafox16]

Thanks guys! I actually seperated Roshi from the rest because the rest seem fine together but Roshi seems to get upset with everyone, and the others dont bother Goku or his injury. I'm going to get a second 2 by 6 to stack on top and split them in pairs and see how it goes, and continue splitting if needed.