Two of my boar trio are fighting - need advice!

[Graceski]

I've had three lovely boy guinea pigs since they were about 2 months old, they are now around 3-4 months old and we've kept them together for about a month and a half without issue. Two of the pigs have started fighting. There was a big fight between the two out of nowhere and blood was drawn - but the guinea pig was not seriously injured and is okay. They were both separated and took turns in "piggie jail" (our spare pen haha).
We decided to carefully reintroduce the guinea pigs and have started to observe their behaviour. They have not had a big vicious fight since (this happened about a week ago) and are back living together because I only have one permanent cage. These are my observations and I'd really appreciate advice on if I can save their relationship or if they will ultimately need to be permanently separated:

• After the fight, Blaze came off worse (wounds) whereas Smudge only had a small couple of wounds
• Our third, Clyde, gets along with both guinea pigs absolutely fine so we have no concerns with him
• Blaze is permanently displaying dominance and I think he's annoying the other two with it
• Smudge has also started displaying dominance, and will not let Blaze enter the hideaway. If Blaze tries, he chases him out and teeth chatters
• If Smudge tries to climb on top of the hideaway, Blaze does the same thing and chases Smudge away
• When I reintroduced both pigs in a neutral place, it looked like Blaze was antagonising Smudge by following him around
• They would then face each other, teeth chatter, and Smudge would run off yet Blaze kept following him around
• Now back in the cage, they are still teeth chattering around each other but sometimes sit together normally
• I see Blaze approaching Smudge constantly and most of the time Smudge backs away but other times he lunges forward as a warning to him, this doesn't discourage Blaze
• I also see Smudge approaching Blaze if Blaze is "on the ground" (he normally sits up top these days)
• All 3 are perfectly healthy, eating and drinking well and very happy and squeaky when they come out for cuddles

My questions are:

1. Based on the above, who do you think is the problem in the cage or is it just that Smudge and Blaze are never going to get along?
2. Can I save this relationship, or will they need to be permanently separated?

If it happens to be they need separating then unfortunately I will need to rehome one which I really don't want, but I don't have space for another cage and I don't want one to be on their own when they should live in pairs as a minimum. If I put a glass divider in the cage it's not big enough for them. The cage is big enough as it is with space to run around and multiple hiding places, they have constant food, lots of Veggies, lots of hay, and never seem bored.

I'd get another cage and buy a fourth (maybe a neutered female) and have them in pairs but I've not long moved house and I don't feel I can afford this expenditure at this moment in time, or have the time cleaning out a second cage.

Let me know your thoughts- thanks you!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm sorry you have found yourself in this situation.

Sadly, what you are seeing is par for the course with boar trios. They are usually ok together as babies as they are desperate for companionship but I am afraid most boar trios do fail once they hit their teens (four months of age) and they dont tend to make it to adulthood together. Boars can only really be kept in pairs.
Fights generally get worse once they have started as incompatibilities become more of a problem, hormones rise etc and the bond fails. Sadly the advice is once fights and injuries have occurred, the bond is broken, fights are likely to continue and separating them is the next step. Smudge and Blaze do need to be separated as they do not sound to be compatible. Clyde can live with whichever one he gets on best with.
The piggy who is single would need to be kept alongside in a separate cage - this enables interaction through the bars which can prevent loneliness. I note you say you wont be able to do this though. Sadly there is nothing you can do to a fix a failing bond - once they dont like each other, their minds are made up.

The space required to attempt a boar trio is far beyond normal cage requirements - and as boars are more territorial having an exceptionally large cage is important but will not make them get on (character compatibility comes first). Three boars would need a cage covering at least three square metres/32 square feet on a single level. However, giving a larger cage now is not likely to make much difference as fights have occurred - rearranging and changing territories and giving new environments can in itself cause more issues than it solves.

Getting a fourth piggy and keeping in separate pairs is the next option but you would be risking the relationship of the boar pair by having a sow in the same room as them. For boar pairs, they need to be kept away from sow pheromones as even if they cannot get in with the sow, simply smelling her can cause two boys to fight with each other.

Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[Graceski]

Thanks so much for your reply. I didn't realise until it was too late that trios are usually unsuccessful. I will have to look to separate them which is a pity.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes, it is a shame and sorry you have come across this issue. Very occasionally you get chilled out boars or older boars who will live in a trio but they are the exception, not the rule and most boar trios particularly with youngsters do fail.

Should you change your mind about getting a fourth piggy and making two pairs, you dont say what cage you have at present, but c&c cages can be stacked so you can keep one pair at the bottom and another pair at the top. That way it only takes up the floor space of one cage. This isnt an option for single piggies as they lose interaction but can be done once they are in pairs. A boar pair needs a cage of 180x60cm or a 5x2 c&c. To find a new friend for a single boar, dating at a rescue centre is the safest way - a successful bond comes down to character compatibility and buying from a pet shop does run the risk of incompatibility occurring and a bond failing. If you were able to enlist the help of a centre, they can help find a compatible friend for a single piggy. It would be especially useful to have a rescue's help while boars are under 18 months of age, given bonding teenage boars can come as bit more of a challenge due to the hormones.

 

[Deleted member 147427]

If your piggies are fighting . I would contact your local vets to get any wounds checked over and maybe think about the possibility of separating them

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry you’ve found yourself in this situation.
The advice @Piggies&buns has given you is excellent.
I hope you can find a good solution that works for you and your boys.

 

[VickiA]

Welcome to the forum. @Piggies&buns advice is spot on.

It’s such a shame you were sold a boar trio. It’s the most unstable grouping and statistically unlikely to ever succeed.