Teeth Chattering

[MyThreePiggies]

my three guinea pigs lived in the same cage for a very long time. One day, one of them started chattering their teeth at the others. We try to see how they get along in the same cage once every week or so. They can be together for most of the day, but then Bobby will start chattering his teeth and the other guinea pigs will end up hiding behind the huts. What should I try to do to bond them? Please help!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Is it three boys you have got? How old are they and how long have they been together? Is Bobby living separately now?

Please be aware that baby boar trios have a 90% risk of fall-outs once they hit the teenage months between 4-14 months old; at the worst you can end up with three single boars. Trios are very difficult to get just the right mix of personalities for long term stability and they are extremely prone to outsider problems of one sort or other (usually either one piggy making war on the other two or two ganging up on the third).

You also have to be aware that each time your boys meet, they will initiate bonding/dominance proceedings, and each time you separate, you will abort that. You will either have to commit to a full bonding and see whether it works out or not or find an alternative solution for your Bobby. In all honesty, I don't think that it sounds very promising.

You may find these threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/


You can also help us a lot if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can always adapt any advice and recommendations to what is available or possible in your part of the globe; as you can imagine, this can differ quite considerably with members from all over the world! You can do so by clicking on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thanks!

 

[MyThreePiggies]

They are boars and are currently 1 year. Thanks

 

[MyThreePiggies]

Hi! Is it three boys you have got? How old are they and how long have they been together? Is Bobby living separately now?

Please be aware that baby boar trios have a 90% risk of fall-outs once they hit the teenage months between 4-14 months old; at the worst you can end up with three single boars. Trios are very difficult to get just the right mix of personalities for long term stability and they are extremely prone to outsider problems of one sort or other (usually either one piggy making war on the other two or two ganging up on the third).

You also have to be aware that each time your boys meet, they will initiate bonding/dominance proceedings, and each time you separate, you will abort that. You will either have to commit to a full bonding and see whether it works out or not or find an alternative solution for your Bobby. In all honesty, I don't think that it sounds very promising.

You may find these threads here helpful:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/dominance-behaviours-in-guinea-pigs.28949/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/introducing-and-re-introducing-guinea-pigs.38562/


You can also help us a lot if you please added your country, state or (for the UK) your county, so we can always adapt any advice and recommendations to what is available or possible in your part of the globe; as you can imagine, this can differ quite considerably with members from all over the world! You can do so by clicking on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thanks!

 

[Wiebke]

They are boars and are currently 1 year. Thanks

It is about the most difficult age for rebonding anyway. Your three boys are likely to never get on as a trio. Personally, I would recommend to keep your working pair as it is and try to find a separate solution for Bobby to keep things stable for the long term.

Any options re. Bobby largely depend on our location and what space, access to good vets and rescues you have or don't have. We could help you better evaluating the pros and cons of each realistic option if we knew which area you are in.

How are your boys currently housed and how big is their accommodation?