2 male guinea pigs fighting

[Izzie913]

Hi,

So one of my guinea pigs (Pickles) currently has a UTI (peeing blood since Sunday) and has just started an antibiotics course. However, this evening Pickles was constantly jumping on, grinding his teeth at, and chasing Winter (my other male guinea pig). Both are about 3 years old. I was worried it would escalate into a full fight, so I set up a play pen (with food, hideys, and blankets) next to the original cage. Initially, I put Pickles in the playpen however he seemed very agitated, was biting the cage and eventually managed to squeeze himself through a gap and escape. Winter, however, seemed quite content in the original cage without Pickles. Once Pickles escaped, I put him back in the original cage with Winter to see what would happen and he immediately started going for Winter again. So, this time I put Winter in the separate playpen which seemed to work out better as Winter is happy and although Pickles is still biting on the sides of the original cage it is much less frequent and aggressive than when he was in the playpen.

I just wanted to know if separating them was a good step to take and if I should try to put them both back in the original cage in the morning or wait a bit longer.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,

So one of my guinea pigs (Pickles) currently has a UTI (peeing blood since Sunday) and has just started an antibiotics course. However, this evening Pickles was constantly jumping on, grinding his teeth at, and chasing Winter (my other male guinea pig). Both are about 3 years old. I was worried it would escalate into a full fight, so I set up a play pen (with food, hideys, and blankets) next to the original cage. Initially, I put Pickles in the playpen however he seemed very agitated, was biting the cage and eventually managed to squeeze himself through a gap and escape. Winter, however, seemed quite content in the original cage without Pickles. Once Pickles escaped, I put him back in the original cage with Winter to see what would happen and he immediately started going for Winter again. So, this time I put Winter in the separate playpen which seemed to work out better as Winter is happy and although Pickles is still biting on the sides of the original cage it is much less frequent and aggressive than when he was in the playpen.

I just wanted to know if separating them was a good step to take and if I should try to put them both back in the original cage in the morning or wait a bit longer.

Hi

I am very sorry.

You were right to separate and to leave them to cool down. If there have been bloody bites, then that is the end of the road. Otherwise, you can try a reunion on neutral ground (that is not part of their territory) without any furniture in 2 days' time but please make sure that you have a plan B (living next to each other with a divider) in case the reunion doesn't work out.

You will usually find out very quickly whether the aggro is too great or not as any grudge will surgace nd escalate very quickly. If the bond is still intact, they should just go back with each other.

Have thick oven gloves handy and do NOT intervene with your bare hand under any circumstances because of the risk of instinctive deep defence bites at any unexpected movement.

Illness can unfortunately upset the hierarchy and can bring underlying rifts to the fore in some pairings.

Please take the time to read this link here for more practical information and advice: Bonds In Trouble

All the best.

 

[Izzie913]

Thank you all so much for your advice. There were no bloody bites or anything as severe as that. I have just now reintroduced them after cooling down for a bit and they seem to be getting along fine but I will continue to monitor