Sudden fight

[Izzy_kins]

I have 3 male piggy’s (which I’m now reading does not tend to work out well) there is one definite dominant pig (Jack) who chases the other two quite frequently. It normally stops there and they all go off and chill separately. This evening the teeth chattering began and jack attacked one of the other boys (Lucifie) he had a good hold of him, no blood seems to have been drawn thankfully. I have separated jack and now I’m scared to try to re introduce so I’m wondering if it’s safer to just keep him separate

 

[Wiebke]

I have 3 male piggy’s (which I’m now reading does not tend to work out well) there is one definite dominant pig (Jack) who chases the other two quite frequently. It normally stops there and they all go off and chill separately. This evening the teeth chattering began and jack attacked one of the other boys (Lucifie) he had a good hold of him, no blood seems to have been drawn thankfully. I have separated jack and now I’m scared to try to re introduce so I’m wondering if it’s safer to just keep him separate

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry for the upset.

How old are your boys? Please be aware that teenage boar trios don't have a good success rate as the intense hormone spikes and weeks of higher testosterone output can really upset a rather delicate balance unless you are lucky to have exactly the right personality mix of mostly laid back boys.

Please take the time to carefully read our comprehensive teenage boars guide. It tells you how the teenage months run (there are distinct phases); what you can do to remove any flash points, what to do when there are clashes, how to stage re-intros and how to prepare/your options in case a formal re-intro on neutral ground outside the cage doesn't work out.

Please give your boy at least two days for the hormone spike to die down again before doing any re-intros. It very much depends on the amount of aggravation this incident has created. There is no magic wand measure that can change a personality and a personality clash.

Here are our information links, which you may find very helpful as they contain all the practical tips and detailed information that we cannot stick into a single post:
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
Bonds In Trouble (adult guinea pig fall-outs and fights)

 

[Izzy_kins]

They’re approximately 5 months old

 

[Wiebke]

They’re approximately 5 months old

Unfortunately that is the time when boars come up to their all time testosterone high during teenage and one of the classic fall-out and fight times.

Please take the time to read the links; they will really help you to understand what is going on, what you can do and what you cannot change.

 

[Siikibam]

I’m sorry there’s been a tussle. Given their ages, I would strongly advise against reintroducing them. Boars trios need at least 1 square metre per piggy. However, that is not a guarantee that they will make it through their teens as an intact trio. You also don’t want to risk having three that all need to live alone.

It would be best to keep together the two that get on best. Either the two who are together now, or Jack with the other who wasn’t attacked. With any boar pairing you can only have one top pig.

Think about who seems to spend more time together then go forward from that. The single boar can live as a neighbour in the meantime, or you could try getting them bonded at a rescue. What you have to bear in mind is that it can be more difficult (but not entirely impossible) to bond a teenage boar. It may be suggested that you neuter them and bond with a sow (or three). If you go down that route, you have to think about your setup. Boars are best kept away from sow pheromones. Even if they can’t get to them, they can disrupt a bonded boar pair.

All the best deciding what to do next.

 

[Izzy_kins]

My next question would be this:
Currently the Lucifie (the attacked piggie) and Gus (very submissive piggy) are together with jack on his own. If I feel that jack and Gus are best suited how is safest to reintroduce Gus?

 

[Wiebke]

My next question would be this:
Currently the Lucifie (the attacked piggie) and Gus (very submissive piggy) are together with jack on his own. If I feel that jack and Gus are best suited how is safest to reintroduce Gus?

You always do any intros and re-intros in neutral space and follow the tips in this very detailed step by step guide: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

Guinea pigs can be very territorial; especially teenagers so they should always meet (again) in a setting that is not part of any piggy territory and where they can meet on equal terms. Please wait until the hormone spike has settled down again.