2 boy guineas

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Lauren23

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Hi there I'm really new to having guinea pigs and I'm wondering if I can get some help ... I have to boy guinea pigs 8 to 10 weeks old and they have been kicking their back legs at each other is this normal I did separate them incase of a fight happening
 
Please don’t separate them unless they do actually fight or if their bond clearly fails.

They need to be able to form a relationship with each other and you are going to see dominance behaviours.

Have you put them back together? If not, how long have they been apart?
If it is longer than a few hours/a day then you will need to go through a full neutral territory rebonding.

How big is the cage?
Do you have two of every item?
Do all hides have two exits?

A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars
 
I put them together after I checked to see if there was any marks on the other one. The cage is big and they have two of everything ... all day they have been doing it but I left them to it to see and they have been doing okay so far .. the only reason I did the separation is because I had this with my hamsters and the fight was dangerous one got killed.
 
Lauren23 said:
I put them together after I checked to see if there was any marks on the other one. The cage is big and they have two of everything ... all day they have been doing it but I left them to it to see and they have been doing okay so far .. the only reason I did the separation is because I had this with my hamsters and the fight was dangerous one got killed.
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What are the actual measurements of the cage?

When piggies move to a new environment they go through a period of reestablishing their relationship (even if they have always been together), so this is likely what you are seeing.
The issue with separating when not completely necessary is that it causes them to go through the dominance all over again upon reintroduction.
You did the right thing in checking for injuries but unless they are actually fighting then it’s best to leave them to it.
 
Piggies&buns said:
What are the actual measurements of the cage?

When piggies move to a new environment they go through a period of reestablishing their relationship (even if they have always been together), so this is likely what you are seeing.
The issue with separating when not completely necessary is that it causes them to go through the dominance all over again upon reintroduction.
You did the right thing in checking for injuries but unless they are actually fighting then it’s best to leave them to it.
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I’m really sorry, but this cage is nowhere near big enough for two boys. You are highly likely to run into trouble with
lack of space - boars need a lot of room.
In fact it doesn’t even meet minimum welfare needs

Two boars need a cage measuring 180x60cm on a single level. Upper levels do not count towards the cage size.
 
Lauren23 said:
I'm thinking of getting a bigger one
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Please do get a new one soon.
This cage doesn’t meet minimum welfare even for two sows (who can take slightly smaller spaces).

They will go through a whole new period of establishing their relationship in a new cage.
 
You can find out all about the different suitable cage options available in this guide: Cages And Hutch Guide

Sometimes you can find cheap second hand ones on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree, occasionally local rescues sell off appropriate spare cages too. :)

Unfortunately companies like Pawhut charge a small fortune for cages which aren't even species appropriate, meaning that owners such as yourself end up paying double in the long run.

Edit: Are your boys indoors or outdoors?
 
I have found a bigger one but if it can't fit in my home I will have to give them away unfortunately 😔
 
Lauren23 said:
I have found a bigger one but if it can't fit in my home I will have to give them away unfortunately 😔
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I'm sorry you've been so misinformed about the space piggies need to thrive. Xx
Would C and C cages be a better option for you? You can design them to fit in corners or L shapes, they're much more flexible for tight spaces. I believe a 6 by 2 grid c and c cage is the minimum for two boars, if that helps.
 
The thing with boys needing more space is that commercial cages are not usually big enough for them. The biggest commercial cage is the ferplast plaza 160, 160x60cm, it is just over boar minimum size (150x60cm - sometimes minimum is still too small for some boar pairs) but obviously smaller than recommended. A lot of boar owners (with indoor piggies) will go for c&c cages due to their flexibility in being able to be made to any shape or size - a boar pair need a 5x2 c&c cage as their recommended size.

Sometimes people can modify cages which are too small by adding c&c grids to the front of a cage and then leaving the door of the original cage open at all times. The new area at the front would obviously need a flooring added (a shower curtain or plastic sheeting) to protect your floor and then normal bedding added.
 
I'll look into that thank you so much my little sister is in bits now hopefully we will find something
 
Lauren23 said:
I'll look into that thank you so much my little sister is in bits now hopefully we will find something
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I'm so sorry.
The last thing you’d want though is for your piggies to fall out through not having enough room - if a fight occurs because of it then their bond would be over and they’d sadly need to be separated.

A c&c is usually the way to go. Perhaps if you could tell us the space you have to play with, we could help come up with solutions
 
Piggies&buns said:
I'm so sorry.
The last thing you’d want though is for your piggies to fall out through not having enough room - if a fight occurs because of it then their bond would be over and they’d sadly need to be separated.

A c&c is usually the way to go. Perhaps if you could tell us the space you have to play with, we could help come up with solutions
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I've ordered a lovely one coming soon can't wait to actually have a perfect home for them
 
Brilliant news- which one/size have you ordered?
Hopefully this will set you up for long term success with your boys. :)

As a side note, please double check their sexes to avoid any accidents: Illustrated Sexing Guide
 
That’s brilliant!
When you’ve built it up, save some of the bedding in their current cage and put it in the new cage. That way smells will be transferred to the new cage and it can help ease the transition and help them recognise that it is still their space
 
So many people end up getting the wrong set up (myself included). Hope your boys appreciate the trouble you’ve gone to getting them a new home 🥰.

You will learn everything you need to know from the forum. Lots of Guinea pigs are living their best lives thanks to the work that is done here! xx
 
Lauren23 said:
Thank you all so much for your help and I'm happy no one judged
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Nobody would judge.

It’s frustrating for everyone that cages which don’t meet even minimum welfare size can be sold. Even though welfare minimum is still too small for boars, if no cage smaller than minimum welfare could be sold at least that would be something.
 
No one's going to judge you here, most of us have probably done something that's not the best at sometime. Thanks to bad advice from a pet shop I got a lot wrong in the beginning including a too small cage, the wrong food and poor quality hay!
 
my two boys are a few months older than your two, and theyre doing well in a 5x2 c&c. I built a double stand so they are elevated away from the dog, and at my seated height, which is supposed to make them more at ease.
 
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