Battling Brothers :(

[Janeycoughdrop]

Can anyone offer more help or tell me if enough is enough with my battling boys? Actually, just one is aggressive to his brother, who is becoming upset now. Background: brothers are approx 4 months old and are in with an elderly boar who lost his pal. All was fine until I needed to keep them in one rainy day a couple of weeks ago..And then Parsley decided to get macho with poor Basil. I have separated them on several occasions, bathed all three, invested in a HUGE hutch and seperate feeding bowls. All was ok for a few days but I have returned home tonight to find fur has flown and blood has been spilt. Parsley is in the naughty hutch again. For info, the old boar seems to be uninvolved. How long should I persevere?Help!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry for your problems. Boar trios are always difficult, especially those with more than one sub-adult.

Sadly, it doesn't look good for your two youngsters to make it through to adulthood together, considering that the hormonal teenage months have just started. I would separate Parsley and keep Basil with your big boy together; that seems to have a better chance of staying stable.

Could you please add your country, state or UK county, so we can help you better? We have got members from all over the world. Any future plans very much depend on your local options in this case. it is much easier to talk you through if we know what is really possible for you. Please click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.

 

[Galaxy&nibbles]

I can't help as have never tried a trio but I have heard that they rarely work out. I hope you can get them all sorted soon.moh and I've also seen on several occasions, that once blood is drawn it's time to split and it's not going to work. Good luck

 

[Janeycoughdrop]

Thanks for your replies. I have had piggies for years but this is the first time I (naively) thought a trio might be ok. I think the option of keeping Basil with my old boy Ozzie is definitely the way forward although I hate to see Parsley alone (even if it's his own fault it's still not nice). Long term the hutch he's in isn't suitable and I hate the thought of rehoming but not sure what else to do.

 

[Galaxy&nibbles]

Thanks for your replies. I have had piggies for years but this is the first time I (naively) thought a trio might be ok. I think the option of keeping Basil with my old boy Ozzie is definitely the way forward although I hate to see Parsley alone (even if it's his own fault it's still not nice). Long term the hutch he's in isn't suitable and I hate the thought of rehoming but not sure what else to do.

Could you not get him a friend from a rescue? And could you do anything to the hutch to make it more suitable or keep any eye out for another either free or going cheap?

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for your replies. I have had piggies for years but this is the first time I (naively) thought a trio might be ok. I think the option of keeping Basil with my old boy Ozzie is definitely the way forward although I hate to see Parsley alone (even if it's his own fault it's still not nice). Long term the hutch he's in isn't suitable and I hate the thought of rehoming but not sure what else to do.

Your closest rescue is in Northampton, so not very far from you. You could consider trying to date your boy there with a suitable boy there, so you only come home with a boy he gets on with and you have the rescue to fall back on if things go wrong.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/

Or you could consider having Parsley neutered at the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton. They are one of the best neutering vets in the country, so he could live with a sow instead after a post-op wait of 6 weeks and you wouldn't have to worry about future fall-outs. The clinic is also not charging highly for the op (about £50), compared to other small animal specialist clinics. But either of these options would mean that you would need to get a second 2x4 ft hutch. In view of his behaviour, he should be old enough for the snip by now.
http://www.catandrabbit.co.uk/

It is always much more difficult to create a live-along option with constant interaction with hutches.
Here are more options: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/boars-bullying-fighting-fall-outs-and-what-next.127295/

I would strongly recommend to take your time do think things through and if necessary talk to the rescue and the vets.

 

[Janeycoughdrop]

Hi Wiebke, a week down the road with the naughty boys and scars are healing and I've got over the shock/upset of realising that three IS a crowd. So for now Parsley is still in the naughty hutch by himself but spends his time whistling to the other two boys. And in the day he is in his own run, but close to the others.. which seems to be company for him without the hormone overload.

I have decided to keep him, so probably the most sensible idea will be neutering, followed by a girlfriend in due course.

I wanted to ask whether an older boar might work though.. or will he just end up all 'Rambo' again?!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi Wiebke, a week down the road with the naughty boys and scars are healing and I've got over the shock/upset of realising that three IS a crowd. So for now Parsley is still in the naughty hutch by himself but spends his time whistling to the other two boys. And in the day he is in his own run, but close to the others.. which seems to be company for him without the hormone overload.

I have decided to keep him, so probably the most sensible idea will be neutering, followed by a girlfriend in due course.

I wanted to ask whether an older boar might work though.. or will he just end up all 'Rambo' again?!

Right now, Parsley is likely at his most difficult to bond, whether that is an adult or a baby, so if you want to try, please make sure that you only try any bonding via rescue dating, so you do not end up with two single boars and always have the rescue as a back-up if things go wrong later on.
It is always a rather difficult time when you try to find the best solution. As you have got a safe neutering vet within reach, at least you are spoilt for choice when it comes to options; it is so much more difficult when you have neither decent rescues or good vets within reach! Take your time to research all of them, especially as Parsley is OK in himself. You want to end up with a solution that feels right for both Parsley and you, with minimal risk of you ending up with more problems down the line.

 

[HansPiggies]

Hi Wiebke, a week down the road with the naughty boys and scars are healing and I've got over the shock/upset of realising that three IS a crowd. So for now Parsley is still in the naughty hutch by himself but spends his time whistling to the other two boys. And in the day he is in his own run, but close to the others.. which seems to be company for him without the hormone overload.

I have decided to keep him, so probably the most sensible idea will be neutering, followed by a girlfriend in due course.

I wanted to ask whether an older boar might work though.. or will he just end up all 'Rambo' again?!

I had one boy that wouldn't get on with my other 2 either together or separately as he wanted to be dominant... now he is paired up with a younger one and hey couldn't be happier! If you take him to a rescue I don't see why he won't find a friend, either a submissive male, or a younger boar that might assume submissive due to being younge and smaller. I would try that first before the cost and risk of neatering

 

[Janeycoughdrop]

Thanks, I'm monitoring the rehoming page on Wood Green animal shelter in case. Unfortunately Parsley is only about 5 months old so he's 'in-between' as far as finding a younger companion or old boy goes. While the weather is good and he can be on the grass near his brother and other boy I think he is ok. By the time the weather cools down hopefully he will be a bit older and calmer so piggy dating could work.